The Legend of Zelda: Time Guided by Wind
by TeffyJeffy
Summary: Due to the Goddesses granting wishes old and new, two heroes shall embark on one quest. During this shared quest, friendships will be made, broken spirits will be mended, and evil shall be vanquished. One hero will teach the other how to survive. One hero will teach the other how to live. Both shall fight together. (ON HIATUS, IM UNMOTIVATED. BLAME UNDERTALE & COLLEGE)
1. Chapter 1: Requests of Old and New

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: So this is something I've had brewing in my head for a while, and I felt it was time to put it in words. This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, so constructive criticism is much appreciated. Okay? Okay. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy my retelling of the Wind Waker Legend...**

* * *

**This is but one of the legends of which the people speak...**

**Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden.**

**It was a prosperous land blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace.**

**But one day a man of great evil found the golden power and took it for himself.**

**With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom.**

**But then, when all hope had died and the hour of doom seemed at hand...**

**...a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere.**

**Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light.**

**This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time.**

**The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend...**

**But then... a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom.**

**The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero...**

**...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs.**

**The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them.**

**...But the hero did not appear.**

**Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods.**

**In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate. **

**What became of that kingdom...? None remain who know.**

**The memory of the kingdom vanished, but it's legend survived on the wind's breath.**

**On a certain island, it became customary to garb boys in green when they came of age.**

**Clothed in green of fields, they aspired to find heroic blades and cast down evil.**

**The elders wished only for the youths to know courage like the hero of legend...**

_**But one fateful day, a young, energetic, special boy was granted more than just the hero's courage...**_

* * *

**~ The Legend of Zelda: Time Guided by Wind ~**

* * *

"Big Brother!"

The voice of the little girl echoed across the small island.

Aryll couldn't believe it. Her big brother, Link, still wasn't home, during what was considered to be the most important day of his life. Well, it did happen every year, but it was still important to the little girl. Anything was important if it had to deal with her Big Brother. Taking a final sweep across the area with her telescope, to see nothing of her brother, she started to run.

Aryll ran across the shore, screaming Link's name at the top of her lungs, in worry and annoyance. Where could he be? Where on the great sea could he-

A far off snore found its way to Aryll's ears. The girl smirked. "I_ knew_ it."

She dashed to the source of the noise; her special Lookout. Link should've known better than to sleep on top of her most favorite spot in all of Outset Island. She decided she would just have to wake him up. She climbed up the ladder, making sure to keep a good hold on her telescope.

The big brother in question was definitely asleep, Aryll realized, as she spied on him with the telescope when she reached the top. _But not for much longer,_ she thought mischievously.

"BIG BROTHER!" she hollered.

Link snorted, being yanked back to the real world without warning. Aryll quickly sneaked onto the lookout before Link could notice, and quietly giggled as he stood up, looking around for a reason for his abrupt awakening. Finding none, he stopped to stretch before searching the area once more. He never got the chance though, considering the reason for his awakening made its presence known. Quite loudly, in fact.

"I knew you'd be here!" giggled Aryll.

Link darted around in alarm before slowly growing a cross look on his face. "I should've known it was you, Little Sis. You always wake me up when I tell you not to."

Aryll continued to laugh. "Didn't you realize where exactly it was you were sleeping? This is my FAVORITE spot to gaze out at the sea. When I play with the gulls, I call it 'Aryll's Lookout.' You were sleeping on my Lookout floor, which isn't allowed," declared Aryll, smirking. She resumed her giggling.

Link was too tired to argue over who the lookout really belonged to, so he simply responded, "Well I hope you have another, much more important reason for waking me up."

Aryll paused in her giggling to stare at Link as if he sprouted a tail. "...You're still half asleep, aren't you?"

"Hnng- huh?" responded Link, saving himself from nodding off.

Aryll grew a big smile. "Did you forget? Big Brother, it's your birthday!"

Well _that_ definitely got his attention. His eyes grew incredibly wide, and quickly went back to normal. Link quickly scratched the back of his head with embarrassment.

"Ohhhh yeeeeaahh I knew that," he lied.

"You did, huh?" accused Aryll, humorously. "Then why didn't you remember that Grandma has been waiting for you to come back to the house?! She's been waiting for a while now-"

"Oh shoot!" Link blurted. He ran to the ladder, quickly adding "I'll talk to you later, Sis!" before climbing down half of the ladder, and free falling the rest of the way down.

Aryll just stared at the Lookout's exit for a second, before shrugging and returning to her telescope.

* * *

"Grandma? I'm here!" called out Link, opening the door to his house.

"Upstairs, dearie!" replied his kind grandmother.

Link grew a big smile as he climbed the ladder to the second half of the peaceful house. Though his sister could get a little bit too much for him to handle, he was always willing to be with his grandma. Ever since she swore to protect him when he was orphaned, the two have given each other constant support. And on a side note, her soup was amazing.

Link made it to the top of the ladder to come face to face with his grandma, who had on a big smile.

"I've been waiting for you Link," stated Link's grandma.

Link guiltily chuckled. "Heh heh heh... Yeeeeeaaaahhhh... Sorry about that," said Link, sheepishly.

"Not to worry, Link. Everything is fine," responded his grandma. Link smiled, relief flooding his body.

It was at that moment when Link took notice of the peculiar items his grandma was holding. "What are those?" asked the curious boy.

His Grandma's face lit up. "These are the Hero's Clothes, my dear one!"

Link gave the clothing further inspection. It consisted of a dark green vest, a light green long sleeve shirt, a brown belt with a golden circular buckle, brown boots, and tan pants. But the most interesting article of clothing was the long floppy green hat. Altogether, the "Hero's Clothes" looked awfully uncomfortable to wear in Outset Island's hot weather. Good thing he didn't have to-

"Try these on," said his grandma.

Oh no.

"But Grandma!" cried out Link. Link's grandma simply chuckled.

"Time certainly flies... I can't believe you're already old enough to wear these clothes," said Link's grandma, cheerfully.

Knowing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Link reluctantly took the clothes. He silently pouted, his face being one of complete distress.

His grandmother gave him a stern look as a response. "Don't look so disappointed, dear one! Just try them on."

"Oh fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine," sulked Link, watching in dismay as his grandma turned around to give him privacy to change into something he didn't want to wear.

As he changed, his grandma continued to speak, knowing he would listen whether he wanted to or not. "Today is a day to celebrate! It is the day that you become the same age as the young hero spoken of in all the legends."

This gave Link pause. Link was a huge fan of the legends, and as a younger boy he slowly was inspired to be just like the Hero of Time. That, and the fact that the clothes ended up being a perfect fit, eased Link's humiliation as he wore the new outfit. His grandma turned around to admire the new look.

"Isn't that nice, Link? They suit you perfectly! A perfect fit! Not only are you as old as the legendary hero, you look so much like him!" beamed Link's grandmother.

But Link was wary. While the legends were detailed, he never recalled them mentioning any actual age of the hero. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn't. He didn't know. The legends weren't found in books, they were told by elders. If the legends were ever discovered in a book later on in Link's life, he would be forced to question the truth of them.

"Really?" responded the unsure, but amazed, Link.

His grandmother chuckled quietly. "Of course, dear one. And besides, you only have to wear them for one day, so don't look so down. Be proud, child!"

Link couldn't help but grin. Who cared if the legends mentioned the hero's age or not?! As far as Link was concerned, he was the same age as the legendary Hero of Time! All embarrassment he had for wearing the garments was whisked away by the wind.

"Thanks, Grandma. I think I will," concluded Link, filled with new pride. His grandmother grinned in response.

"Here's the best part," said Link's grandma, practically beaming. "In the olden days, this was the day boys were finally considered to be men."

"But Grandma!" shouted Link, terrified with the idea of becoming an adult.

His grandma laughed kindheartedly. "Of course, you have a while before that ever happens."

"Oh," said Link, calming down immediately.

"But it _was_ men who were taught the ways of the sword to prepare them for battle with their enemies," mischievously added the playful grandmother.

"Aww come on," sulked Link. It was no secret to anybody that Link always dreamed of owning, and mastering, his own sword. But whenever he pleaded with Orca, the elder who was very experienced with the art of the sword, Orca would stand his ground, refusing to allow a kid to hold the tool of an adult. And besides, even if Link was old enough to wield a sword,-

"We don't live in such an age any longer," continued the grandmother. "Our ways are the ways of peace."

This only brought Link down even further.

"But I wanna use a sword!" semi-whined the child.

"Patience," replied his grandma. "I never said we don't use weapons for self defense. We've only shelved them in hopes of preventing wars. You shall get a sword someday. And when you do, be sure you are trained by Orca. He is the only one on the island who still knows anything about swordplay."

"'Self defense?' Using a sword doesn't sound like defense. That sounds like what we would do with our family shield. Speaking of the shield, why did you mount ours on the wall?" questioned Link, pointing to the family shield on the wall, decorated with a wreath. His grandmother only smiled.

"Hanging the family shield on the wall as decoration that has been carried down from those days," answered Link's grandma. "Now, does all of this make sense to you?"

Link nodded, slightly. "I think so."

He actually didn't truly understand any of it, but he knew that now was not the time to question his own grandmother.

His grandmother smiled again. "Excellent! Well, tonight I'm going to invite the whole town over for your birthday party, so I'd better start getting ready, shouldn't I?"

Link beamed. "A party? Grandma, you shouldn't have!"

"Nonsense! Why shouldn't I?! You're my grandson," chortled the grandmother. "And prepare yourself. Your grandma is going to make your favorite soup for you tonight! Mmmm!"

Link was ecstatic. "Grandma, you're the best!" he shouted, giving her a big hug.

"Of course, dearie! I just know you're looking forward to it!" replied the grandmother, happily returning the hug.

"But," she added, bringing Link back and holding him gently by his shoulders. "I can't start making it until you get your sister, Aryll, for me."

Link ran out the front door so quickly, his grandmother was surprised it wasn't unhinged.

* * *

Somewhere in the Great Sea, far off to the north, on an island deserted by all except for a lone statue, a voice emerged.

The voice was calm, but fierce, belonging to someone who held great power.

"Look alive, sisters, for the time of wish fulfillment is nigh. We shall finally be able to grant the hopes of the past, along with the desires of the present."

To the far east, on a similar island, a voice of confidence and determination spoke up.

"I think the waiting should've been over a long time ago for the desires of the past. What held us back from granting it before?"

To the far south, on a third island, a voice of wisdom and serenity spoke at last.

"Because, sister, the laws of the secret world known as 'Termina' complicated matters. Now that the matter is settled, we can successfully carry out the desires asked of us."

The powerful voice responded, "Indeed. But I wonder if our actions will upset _him_."

The courageous voiced shuddered. "He most certainly will."

The wise voice replied, "The possibility is very likely. But we must remember how much knowledge he could share with the newcomer.

The courageous voice almost laughed. "That is true, Sister. And now that I think about it, considering everything he has faced, the newcomer could be huge support in helping him experience joy after many many years without it. But newcomer or not, I believe it is time for the child's suffering to end."

The voice of wisdom replied, "I could not have said it better myself, Sister."

The voice of power made a final remark. "It is settled then. We must prepare to execute our plan very soon. Stay alert, or the chance will be lost."

Silence engulfed the Great Sea once more, but a feeling of intense focus had engulfed the entirety of it.

* * *

Link climbed the Lookout ladder to hear multiple seagulls. He briefly wondered how Aryll managed to befriend the seagulls. Birds in general were always so jumpy, it was amazing that Aryll managed to calm them down. His pondering quickly vanished when his eyes met his sister's. She smiled, which made Link smile in return.

Though there were multiple moments where Link saw Aryll as a thorn in his side, there were countless other moments that were quite the opposite for him. He adored his sister, and he would do anything for her. Because that's what brothers should do.

"Ah! 'Hoy, Big Brother!" said Aryll, joyfully. She ran up and gave the birthday boy a big hug.

Link chuckled, happy to return the hug. "'Hoy there, Little Sis! Staying out of trouble?"

"Uh huh!" shouted the eight year old girl, nodding her head rapidly. Soon, her eyes went down from Link's eyes to inspect his new outfit. She was in awe.

"Woooowwwww. Did Grandma make that outfit for you?" asked the curious sister.

"That's right," responded Link, and even though it kind of looked embarrassing, he couldn't help but feel proud about wearing it.

Aryll grew a look of worry. "But wow... You look like you'd be way too hot in those clothes..."

Link went to respond immediately with a humorous comeback, when he suddenly had a very interesting realization: He hadn't broken a sweat once while he was wearing the garments. In fact, he felt warmer in his blue outdoor clothing than he was in these clothes. It was as if the clothes were adjusting to keep Link's body in perfect condition...

"I guess they're pretty neat, though!" continued the sister, leaving Link to wonder about it on a later date.

"So, anyway, Link... Can you close your eyes and hold out your hand? Just for a second!"

Link looked at her suspiciously before closing his eyes. "If you shove me off the Lookout tower and into the water, I swear I will-"

He felt an object fall into his hands, and he heard his sister demand for him to open his eyes.

He opened his eyes to see his sister's telescope in his hands.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" cheered Aryll.

Link gawked at the present. This was his sister's most precious belonging. He couldn't just-

"It's only for one day!" said Aryll, reading his mind. "You're lucky that you're my big brother, or you never would've gotten this! So? Well?! Do you like it?"

Link smiled warmly, and gently ruffled up Aryll's hair. "Of course I do, Sis. You're the best."

Aryll giggled. "Ooh, why don't you try it out!"

Link paused. "Right now?"

"Right now! Try looking at our house from here," squealed Aryll.

Link took it as a challenge. "You got it, Sis!"

Link took extra care as he extended the telescope, and peered through the smaller end of it.

It was definitely fascinating to see far away objects up close. What was once yards away was now right up in Link's face, and in full detail. He noticed the birds in the forest located at the top point of the mountain. He noticed the gigantic head of stone, resting on the other side of the island.

He noticed the weird bird-like postman, flapping its wings frantically, an expression of panic written all over its face.

"The postman looks kinda weird, doesn't he?" said Aryll.

_Oh right, that thing is a "he"_, thought Link.

"AAAAAHH!" shouted Aryll, making Link almost drop the precious telescope in surprise.

"What?! What is it, Aryll?! What's wrong?!" yelled Link, in shock.

"The sky, Link! The sky! Look up in the sky!" screamed Aryll quickly, terrified.

Link didn't hesitate to bring the telescope's gaze up to the sky. What he saw next almost made him scream.

Up in the sky, was the biggest bird that Link had ever seen in his entire life. Its body was dark violet, and so were its wings, but the wings had dashes of white and red at the edges. Its tail feathers were a nauseating combination of orange and bright green. Its bottom claws were orange, and they were curled up, as if the monster was holding onto something...

Link extended the telescope even further, to find out that the beast _was_ holding onto something: a little girl with yellow hair and tanned skin.

Then an explosion was heard, and a cannon ball whizzed past Link's extended line of sight. He moved his gaze to the bottom right, to see a pirate ship, blasting cannonballs at the two airborne creatures. A _pirate ship_.

Link was now beginning to sweat. What was once a peaceful little island the boy was inhabiting, was now a war zone for a ferocious beast and a crew of dirty pirates. Whether it was the bird or the child the pirates were aiming for, Link didn't know.

That was until a cannonball made a direct hit to the bird's face. The bird screeched, dropping the child, as it flew out of Link's line of sight. So Link switched his gaze to the child, keeping the telescope on her as she fell into the highest point of outset island...

The Outset Island Forest.

_Well that wont be good_, Link thought. The Forest was off limits ever since the bridge was deemed no longer safe to cross (_all because of one missing plank, _grumbled Link's thoughts). Anything could've inhabited the forest since then, and Link was pretty sure none of them would enjoy visitors from the sky.

Link shortened his telescope and put it away into one of the pockets in his new clothing. He froze again, for once again the clothing struck him as peculiar. The telescope seemed to... vanish, when he put the object in his pants pocket. _What is this tunic made of?!_ Link's mind shouted.

Link's train of thought was derailed by his sister's cry in alarm.

"Link, this is so terrible! That girl fell into the forest! She needs help!" shouted the worried sister.

Link gawked. "Aryll, are you crazy?! Nobody would be willing to cross that broken bridge, and nobody would be able to deal with whatever lives in the forest!"

"So what, you'd rather have the girl figure out what lives there the hard way?!" shouted Aryll.

Link visibly hunched forward in dread. "You're absolutely right. But I can't go alone!"

"I know that! You're obviously going to have to use something to defend yourself with!" hollered Aryll.

Link paused. _Something to defend myself... that sounds a lot like "Self defense"..._

* * *

"The time has arrived, sisters," announced the voice of power. "Are we all prepared?"

"We are," answered the other two.

"We mustn't forget the danger of this," added the wise voice.

"It never left my mind at all," piped in the courageous voice.

"It is too late to doubt now. We have no choice but to commit to this," finished the powerful voice.

There was silence, but only for a moment. Then all three voices spoke as one.

**"Wind, wait for command. Time, heed our call."**

The waves began to ripple softly, and the sky darkened ever so slightly.

**"This is our only request..."**

Everything froze, halted by time.

...

**"Release the Storm."**

* * *

When Link rushed inside Orca's battle dojo, he saw an interesting sight.

The elder was... rushing himself into the shark decoration on the wall. When the elder noticed Link, however, all shark-rushing stopped.

"Link!" shouted Orca in surprise. "Is that you? If I recall correctly, today you are the same age as the legendary hero. When did you get so old?"

"Umm, sorry sir, but I-"

"You must build strong muscles from now on! Strong muscles!" continued Orca.

"Sir, I really need to ask-"

"You have come at the perfect moment! I was just trying my rolling attack. Allow me to teach it to you!"

It took all of Link's restraint to keep himself from yelling at the elder. He instead took his aggression out by banging his head on the wall once.

This made every single vase on the shelves fall and shatter.

From upstairs, the older elder, Sturgeon, cussed. "Such a racket! Can't you keep quiet!? You've knocked everything off my shelves, you drafted hooligan," shouted Sturgeon, believing the chaos to have been caused by his brother, instead of the child.

Link looked back at Orca, who was now concerned, but far from angry.

"What's the matter, Link? You have an urgent look about you... Has something happened?"

"There is a girl in trouble, and she's stranded in the forest at the top of the island. I have to go save her, but I can't go alone. It's too dangerous," said Link, very maturely, to Orca's surprise.

Link bowed to the sensei, closing his eyes. "I am humbly asking for a sword. Not for fun, not for battle, but for self defense."

Orca was shocked. The boy seemed so... adult-like. And Link was definitely wasn't lying. His eyes told the whole story to Orca.

Orca exhaled, reaching a decision.

"So you have come for some serious instruction in the way of the sword?"

"Yes, sir," answered Link, humbly.

"Very good! Your first lesson shall be the horizontal slice!" exclaimed Orca, enjoying Link's shocked expression.

* * *

"The storm has begun, Sisters," stated the voice of wisdom.

"Excellent. The hardest stage has been completed flawlessly," added the voice of power.

The voice of courage shuddered "Maybe the hardest part has already ended for you two, but for me, it has only begun..."

The other two voices dyed down, in sympathy for the troubled spirit, as their request began to course through the Great Sea...

* * *

Link cried out has he brought his sword down on the staff once more.

"That was a fine display!" congratulated the elder.

Link scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "You really think so?"

"Indeed! Your moves were flawless!"

"Thank you, sir!" Link cheered, beaming.

Then, Orca's eyes went darker.

"And yet... I sense a certain anxiousness in the sword you hold... an eagerness that goes far beyond the mere desire to be wielded on the fields of battle..."

Link simply stood there, refusing to believe what he hoped was true...

"I have faith in you. Somehow, I doubt you will misuse that sword..."

"S-sir, are you-!?" Link stammered.

"You may have it, Link. I give it freely. Take the blade with you..."

Link dashed out the door, remembering to holler a "Thank you sir!" before shutting the door.

Orca simply chuckled. "May you go far in your adventure, Link."

* * *

Link shuddered as he climbed the path up to the bridge. The sky had taken on a much more foreboding appearance, its blue color completely gone, covered by clouds. Link could've sworn he heard thunder as well, which was strange and scary, considering Sturgeon's sense of weather never foretold of any storms today.

_I have to save her quickly before a possible storm wrecks the bridge!_ thought Link.

Link quickly crossed the bridge, unsheathed his sword, and bravely entered the forest...

* * *

Link didn't find a single living thing as he entered the forest. He forced down the urge to chuckle at his early paranoia._ Focus, Link. Just because you don't see anything right now doesn't mean there _isn't_ anything..._

Link's mind was right, because when he peeked past an edge of stone, he saw a very unsettling sight.

He could only describe it as a cross between a man and a pig. It was dark purple, and it's eyes pleaded for battle.

Link looked at his sword. _I didn't want to have to use this so soon..._

Link darted around the corner, and charged at the startled creature.

Link stabbed it, which quickly riled it up. Before it could counter, Link sliced horizontally, and ended it with two fierce upper slices. The creature never stood a chance.

Link was swelled with pride, but that pride was immediately replaced by terror. _I just killed a living creature! I never even gave it a chance to show me mercy!_

But then, the creature burst into black smoke, and Link could _feel_ the darkness coming from it. That was enough to convince Link that the creature never planned to show him mercy, if the creature even knew what mercy was.

Link couldn't rest though because suddenly, two more creatures landed on the ground behind him, looking just like the monster he just defeated.

Link focused on them as he brought his sword far back, glaring at the two enemies as they leered closer to him. And when they leered close enough...

"HYAAAAAH!" Link shouted, fiercely spinning his sword around once, taking both of the creatures out with one attack.

They both exploded with the same smoke as the first one, and Link shuddered. He didn't understand why, but the smoke put him on edge.

That smoke was all but forgotten though, when he heard a yelp above him.

There, snagged on the branch of a tree, was the tanned girl. She was flailing on the branch, a look of fright etched on her face.

Link went to catch her, when a blast of thunder startled him.

That thunder was the sole reason that Link never caught the girl. Instead, the girl_ landed_ on him.

"Owwwwww..." muttered the boy.

Soon after that, water started to fall, covering the whole Forest, and it's inhabitants, with water droplets.

Link stood up, and brushed himself off when a rude question startled him.

"Wow. What's with that getup?"

Link darted around to gawk at the girl that was looking at him disapprovingly. A girl that only five seconds ago, _landed on him._

All of Link's desires to save the girl vanished just like that.

"Well, whatever," continued the girl. "So, where am I?" she asked Link.

Link only glared at her, in response.

"Fine, I'll figure it out myself," scoffed the girl, looking around. "Oh, that's right! That giant bird came and..."

"Miss! Miss Tetra!" cried an unfamiliar voice.

_Oh great, now the girl has a NAME_, grumbled Link in his thoughts.

He looked over to the entrance to find one of the pirates that he saw with Aryll's telescope. But interestingly enough, the pirate didn't really look that threatening, considering he was doing something with his legs that made it look like he needed a bathroom break. Link shoved down a surfacing giggle, in his annoyance with the entire situation.

The pirate ran up to the girl— ahem, _Tetra_ —, looking incredibly relieved. Link could've sworn the buff pirate was about to _cry_.

"Oh! Oh, thank... Thank goodness! You're safe! When I saw you get dropped on this summit, I thought for sure you'd..." spluttered the pirate.

Link couldn't help but find the whole situation mildly humorous. A little girl that was brash?! A pirate that was a hair away from crying?! What next?!

"Summit?" replied Tetra. "So that bird dropped me on the top of a mountain? Well, wasn't that nice of it!" Tetra snarled, sarcasm roaring in her voice.

Tetra headed toward the exit when another clap of thunder startled Link and scared the pants off of the pirate.

Tetra turned back briefly to give the pirate an _are-you-kidding-me_ glare.

"Well don't just stand there! Let's go!" commanded Tetra, to the pirate. "Time to repay our debt to that bird in full!" she threatened, as she rushed to the exit.

The pirate made eye contact with Link, who glared in return. Shuddering, the pirate's gaze returned to Tetra's shrinking figure.

"But, Miss... What about this boy?" called the pirate, doing his best to ignore a third clap of thunder. It was a miracle that none of the lightning bolts had set the whole area on fire.

"Don't worry about him. Come on!" shouted Tetra.

Now Link was furious. _There is no way you are just tossing me aside,_ his mind yelled, as he followed the pair.

* * *

The three made their way out of the forest without any problems, unless one counted being sopping wet as a problem, which Link definitely _did_.

Finally fed up, Link broke the silent-boy characteristic with ferocity, scaring the pirate and startling the girl, Tetra.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT I HAD TO DO TO GET UP HERE?!" He shouted over the pouring rain.

"Oh really?! Well thank you sooooooo much for throwing your life away for a situation I had under control! Were you expecting a kiss?" retorted Tetra.

"A _kiss_?! Heck no! A simple 'Thank you' would've been JUST FINE!" screamed Link.

"Well, I already SAID that, so you can shut up!" yelled Tetra.

"YOU DIDNT MEAN THAT 'THANK YOU' AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"'Hoy! Big Brother! You don't need to shout that loud! The storm isn't that bad!"

Link paused in his rage to gaze at the other side of the bridge.

There was his sister, waving, smiling, sopping wet, and loving every single second of it.

Link's fury vanished, happy to know that his sister was unharmed.

"'Hoy there, Little Sis!" called out Link, happily

Aryll laughed, and began to cross the bridge.

"Be careful of the bridge, Aryll!" called out Link, his protective-brother instincts taking ahold of him.

"Don't worry, Big Brother, I see it!" Aryll called over the noise of the storm.

Link smiled, having full confidence in his sister after that, but ready to save her if anything happened...

It all started when he heard the screech of the forgotten creature.

Link froze once again, panic coursing though his mind and heart. He looked all around, and finally found the bird, it's figure silhouetted by the storm covering the island.

_If it sees Tetra, then it'll take all of our lives along with her!_ screamed Link's head, remembering the creature's humongous form.

But the bird never went towards Tetra. It wasn't even close to her or the other two figures nearby her.

No, the bird set its bright yellow eyes on _Aryll_.

Link saw what was going to happen before anybody else did. "Aryll! Look out!"

Aryll paused to give Link a stern look. "Honestly! Don't you trust me enough to cross a bridge?!"

"Aryll, you don't understand!"

"I understand you perfectly, Big Brother. And I'm getting tired of you worrying about me!"

"There's a-!"

"It's like every time you see me do something slightly dangerous-"

"_GIANT BIRD!_"

Aryll caught his meaning, but it was already too late.

One moment, Aryll was darting her head to the left to see the giant bird monster.

The next moment, she was being carried away from the island, in the midst of a storm, away from her big brother.

"BROTHER!" she cried to the island, which was shrinking quickly.

"SISTER!" Link shouted, sprinting at the fading figure, sword in hand-

Only to almost fall to his death.

Tetra had caught him just in time, but the fact that the boy was squirming with desperation _wasn't_ helping matters.

"Uhhn!" grunted Tetra in annoyance, and hidden fear. "Stupid kid! Get ahold of yourself! She's gone! There's nothing you can do!"

She heaved the kid back up onto the ledge, and it took all of her strength to hide her sympathy from him. Especially when he started yelling at her and the pirate, Gonzo.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! ALL OF IT! IF YOU DIDN'T DO WHATEVER IT WAS TO GET THAT BIRD TO HATE YOU, OR IF YOU JUST STAYED AWAY FROM THE ISLAND, OR IF YOU NEVER HIT THE BIRD WHILE YOU WERE HERE, NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED!"

The enraged child began tugging at the wet grass in hysteria. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU BOTH! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOOOOOUUUUUU!"

The child collapsed at Tetra's feet, and bawled in front of her. She couldn't do anything but hug him then, no matter how much he squirmed. She didn't mind. His attitude was entirely reasonable. It was entirely her fault.

It was her situation that created this poor child, who had lost all happiness, all courage, and most importantly, all hope.

* * *

On the other side of the Great Sea, on a ruined ship, a lone figure with a telescope was observing the frightening form of an area loaded with barricades and searchlights. Well, the storm was making the telescope gazing difficult, but the man didn't care. We was in too much awe and fright.

At the top of this dangerous landmark, stood a house of some sort, but the man didn't dare to observe it in detail.

Something, or some_one_, lived in that house, and its cruelty was so fierce, nobody could even gaze at the living space without fear of being watched.

"Oh my goodness! S-So frightening!" exclaimed the man.

Suddenly, the man was startled by a flash of lightning, which was immediately followed by a clap of thunder.

The man went to put his telescope away when another flash of lightning was made, along with another clap.

But the interesting thing was, the man could've sworn the lightning had touched the same spot in the sky, right above the foreboding fort in front of him.

Another flash of lightning, and the man confirmed that this one definitely touched the same area. The clap of thunder didn't startle the man this time.

Another flash of lightning. Another clap of thunder.

Another flash of lightning. Another clap of thunder.

_A glaring light of blue. A sound as pure as the heavens._

The man immediately pulled out his telescope to investigate. He extended it, and gazed at the light.

It was wondrous to his eyes. And pleasing to his ears. But it didn't give him a feeling of power, the man noted. It gave him a feeling of... comfort.

And then, something fell out of the circular light in the air.

The light closed off, taking the storm with it, as if both were never there.

The man quickly focused his telescope on the falling figure.

It seemed to be the unconscious figure of...

_ A young boy, clothed in green._

The man, in shock, fell off the ruined ship's mast, and into the water.

**AN: It begins. And it shall continue very soon. Chances are, as you're reading this, I'm working on the next chapter. Hope this interests you enough to keep reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: Leaving the Past

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: A big thanks to those who were interested enough to follow this! I will try not to disappoint. My apologies for the first chapter mostly being a chapter one novelization. I'm sorry to say, this chapter is kinda the same, but I twisted a couple things around. But this is the LAST CHAPTER to have Wind Waker without anything new. Trust me ;)**

* * *

"What?! You want to come with us on our ship?" exclaimed Tetra.

Link nodded with determination.

After the storm had passed— _almost too quickly_ thought Tetra— Link had to rationalize the situation. It seemed that the only way he would be able to see his sister again would be to leave the island, and a pirate ship was his one-way ticket out of there.

But Tetra wouldn't budge.

"Do you understand what you're asking?!" shouted Tetra, flabbergasted. "We're pirates! You know... PIRATES! The terror of the seas!"

Link bit his lip to keep himself from making a remark on Gonzo's "terror".

"What do we get out of bringing some helpless little kid along with us?" asked Tetra, making Link glare at her. "I'll tell you what we get... a headache," she finished.

Link gripped his sword as if to prove a point. Tetra only rolled her eyes, in response.

"Listen, kid. I know how you must feel, with your sister having been kidnapped and all..." Tetra added. "And I know we are a big reason for it happening in the first place, but think for a second! How are we supposed to know _where_ that thing is going?!"

Link looked down, at that remark. She was absolutely right. He hated her for being right, but she was absolutely right.

"Plus, while it is my fault, we have no idea why that bird wanted me! How am I supposed to figure _that_ out?!" added the annoyed Tetra.

"'Asking others' sounds like a good idea," said a voice near the group. Link turned to see the bird-like postman from earlier.

"Woah, woah, woah there! Just who are you?! Where do you get off butting in on someone else's conversation?!" threatened Gonzo.

"Please! I only mean to answer the little girl's concern!" replied the postman.

"_'Little girl'_?! Why you-!" shouted a riled up Tetra.

"Just be quiet for a moment!" interrupted the postman.

Link and Tetra gave each other a look that stated, _Well, we might as well_, and looked back at the postman to listen.

"Now, as my work entails delivering letters, I spend much of my time traveling amongst the many different islands. As a result, I hear many things..."

"Like what?" piped in the curious boy.

"_Ahem_," added the annoyed postman, silencing Link instantly. Tetra couldn't help but give Link a look that said, _You idiot_.

The postman continued, "Haven't any of you heard word that young girls have been getting kidnapped lately from all regions of the Great Sea?"

Both kids' eyes widened at that statement; Link's with shock, Tetra's with realization.

"No matter," continued the postman. "Whether you've heard it or not, that seems to be the case. Young girls with long ears like yours have been getting kidnapped, never to be seen again. And unless my eyes fail me, the young girl who was just kidnapped from this island also has long ears, does she not? Much like YOU do, Miss Fearsome Pirate. My point is that the bird mistook that poor girl for you, and that's why it grabbed her!"

Tetra closed her eyes. "So that's why... I guess that makes sense..."

But Link wasn't on the same page. "Wha- No it doesn't! A bird is going around snatching little girls with long ears?! _WHY?!_ And how did that bird mistake my sister for you?! You two don't even _LOOK_ alike!" shouted Link in confusion and frustration.

"My suspicions are that the bird was given specific instructions, but that the instructions weren't specific enough. As for who gave it the instructions, that remains unknown," answered the postman. He then turned his line of sight back to Tetra. "As for your confidence that Link is 'helpless', I believe it was young Link here who saved you from the monsters in the forest, wasn't it?"

Tetra looked everywhere but the ground to hide her shame, "Well- he didn't do a good job at- I mean he wasn't even supposed to- I mean..." She looked at Link, who only glared back. She turned back to the postman and sighed. "Yes. Yes, he did save me."

Link smiled, satisfied with her answer.

"Well said. And before I forget about your other concern," continued the postman, "I should tell you that the bird has made its foul nest to the north, on the heights of the Forsaken Fortress."

The name of that landmark struck fear into the hearts of Tetra and her crew. Link observed this with mild confusion. He raised his hand to get the postman's attention.

"Ummmm, what's the Forsaken Fortress?" the boy asked.

Tetra almost slapped the boy in the face. "You can't just freely ask somebody to describe the cursed _Forsaken Fortress_! Are you nuts?!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry I asked!" shouted Link, surrendering to the girl in annoyance.

"So, what are you going to do?" asked the postman, to Tetra. "Under the circumstances, I don't think it would be unreasonable for you to give Link a little help, now would it?"

Tetra and Link made eye contact, and Tetra noticed that Link's eyes held the same ferocity as he did before. She sighed, finally giving up.

"All right. Fine. But this is only because the kid proved that he is able to defend himself," said Tetra, taking good notice when Link pumped both of his fists in the air, in victory. She hoped to all that was holy, that she wouldn't regret the depiction later on.

"But he should know what he's getting into," she added, looking at the child in green. "The Forsaken Fortress is described by nothing except evil rumors. You can't possibly mean to go there with just a cheap little sword! That's not brave! It's stupid!"

Link put his fists to his hips, in a proud stance, and leaned forward, to tease Tetra. "Aw Tetra, I didn't know you caaaarrrreeed."

"SHUT UP!" shouted Tetra in anger and embarrassment, as Link laughed at her expense.

"Don't change the subject!" Tetra quickly added. "My point is, even a simple little island like this has to have something you could use as a shield. You know, something to protect yourself with? Anything?!"

"Hold your horses, I know what a shield is," said Link.

"Well then go get it!" shouted the impatient Tetra.

"Alright! Alright!" said the annoyed Link, leaving the group.

"I'm starting to think that that a helpless child would be less trouble than a _non_-helpless child," Tetra muttered loudly enough for Gonzo and the postman to hear.

* * *

Link went into his house quietly, hoping that his grandmother wasn't around. _She is going to _hate_ me after this, _Link thought, as he climbed the ladder to get to the family shield...

Only to figure out that the shield was no longer on the wall. It was _gone._

_Shoot! _Link's mind screamed. _I don't have time to_ find _it! If I try, Tetra will leave without me!_

"Link?" called a voice from downstairs. It was Link's Grandma.

"Oh!" shouted Link in fear and false surprise. He quickly slid down the letter to meet/confront his grandma. "Hi Grandma! I was just- um- looking for something!"

He stared at the back of his grandma, as she slowly turned to look at him. In her hands... was the family shield.

Link gasped. "Grandma, why did you take the shield off the wa-"

"Is this what you're looking for?" said his grandma, sadly.

"Grandma, wha-"

"Quill, the postman, told me everything. I didn't want to believe him, but then you came in here, with a look of worry on your face and..."

Link's grandma's voice died away. She looked at the shield, took a deep breath, and handed it to Link.

"Take it with you," she told Link.

Link took the shield, hands shaking, and hoisted it on his back. But, the shield wasn't his concern anymore. His concern was now focused on his grandma, who begun to cry.

Link quickly rushed to her and hugged her tightly.

"I guess it is true..." weeped Link's grandmother. "Aryll really has been kidnapped... Hasn't she? What kind of monster could take such a sweet, young child?"

"I'm so sorry, Grandma. I tried to tell her, but... I was too late," Link cried silently.

"It isn't your fault dearie. I know you wouldn't allow this to just happen..."

She held him close by his shoulders. "You keep safe. Okay?"

"I will, Grandma. I promise."

Link went to leave, when a thought came to mind. "Are you... Going to be okay without Aryll and I?"

"I will do everything I can to stay healthy and positive. I promise."

Link wasn't convinced. "Then let's pinky promise on it."

Grandma smiled. "Of course, dear one."

Grandma linked pinkies with her grandson and swore, "I promise to stay healthy and positive during your absence."

Link beamed, and gave his grandmother one final hug. "I'll miss you, Grandma."

His grandma hugged him back. "As will I, my dear."

Link exited his house, doing his best not to look back.

* * *

"Wow, that's a decrepit old shield. Are you sure you can still use that thing? Are you going to get splinters and cry?"

Link snarled at the girl. "Why you little-!"

"Okay okay, whatever. Quit taking everything so seriously!" scoffed Tetra. "Are you ready?"

"I am," stated the boy.

Tetra smirked. "Then let's go!"

* * *

**BOOOOONNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!**

At the sound of the gong, all sails were lowered!

"We're ready to depart!" called Gonzo.

"Well then don't just stand there! Get moving!" shouted Tetra.

"Aye!" responded the crew.

Tetra nodded to them once, and turned around to see their new crew member, Link, looking back at his island. He was waving goodbye to all of his friends. _Softie,_ thought Tetra.

That's when Link saw his grandmother, ran up to the narrowest part of the ship to wave both of his arms in the air, to say goodbye one last time. Though Tetra refused to show it, she was touched. But since she couldn't show that, she expressed the opposite.

"Ugh," the girl grumbled. "How much longer is this going to go on, do you think? Do you have an estimate?"

Link turned to glare daggers at the girl, who didn't flinch in the least.

"Are you sure you shouldn't just quit right now? Seriously, think about it."

Link's eyes only hardened at those words.

Tetra put her hands behind her head, lazily. "I can tell you're just going to get more sentimental from here on out."

"Do you ever shut up?" growled Link.

"For you? Not a chance," chuckled Tetra. "But seriously, there is still time, you know. Are you sure we shouldn't just turn around and take you back to your island?"

Link clenched his teeth. "My sister? Your fault? Remember?!"

Tetra had to blink at that. _Geez this kid is as tough as nails,_ she thought. _The only problem he has is thinking too brashly. Hopefully that won't be forever. But he still needs to know when he shouldn't cross the line_.

Tetra walked right up to Link, and got right in his face. "Okay kid. I've let you get away with all your hatred towards me, and I don't blame you. But that doesn't mean I'm going to take it. This is _my_ ship. You try anything on me, you get thrown overboard. _Got it?_"

Link's glare never faltered. "Aye aye," he spat.

"Well, that's progress," Tetra mumbled. "You'd better let Niko bring you downstairs. Meet me when he's done with you. By that point, we should be there."

Links ager diminished, finally satisfied that Tetra gave him direction with out an insult, and went to join Niko.

_I wonder how long it will take Link to complete Niko's task..._

* * *

"Now what was that about this taking a _year_?" asked Link, smugly looking at the shocked Niko.

"I... I..." stuttered the amazed pirate. "I'm proud to have you as... As my... As my underling!" he quickly added.

"Yeah sure," responded Link, smiling and not believing him at all.

Niko darted his head right and left, as if in fear that he was being watched. He quickly whispered "I... I wonder if it's OK to just give that to him...I don't see why not...I doubt I'll get busted..." and cleared his throat.

"All right, swabbie!" he exclaimed. "I'll tell you what! You can have the treasure in that chest over there! It's your reward from the great and generous Niko! Hurry and take it before someone comes"

Link giggled silently as the little pirate leapt off the platform and grumbled about how long it took _him_ to complete the obstacle course.

Link marched proudly up to the chest, opened it up to pick out his well deserved reward. What he found was...

A purse. With a face.

"Wha- What the heck is THIS supposed to be?!" shouted the boy. "How do I get into- how is this going to stop- I mean- WHAT IS THIS?!"

"Hey! Link!" called Tetra's voice from the main floor. "We've reached the Forsaken fortress! Hurry and get up here! And bring that ridiculous spoils bag with you!"

_So_ that's _what it is_, Link thought as he climbed back up to the outside.

_But it's still stupid._

* * *

"Hey! Link! Here I am! Up here!" called Tetra.

Link looked up to see tetra up on the mast. Despite everything that had happened, he smiled. Tetra could have easily said no to his request to join them so he could save his sister, yet here he was.

"I'll be right up!" he called back, and began to climb the ladder.

When he reached the top, Tetra acknowledged him with a grin, as if she figured something out, and was taking pride in it.

"Did Niko give you the easy obstacle course? I saw him moping when he returned to the main deck," chuckled Tetra.

"He probably did," Link smirked. "I thought that was way too easy myself. That guy has a lot to learn."

Tetra couldn't help but smile. "Well hey, we finally have something we can agree on: Niko is an idiot," she stated, making both of them laugh.

But the laughter soon made way for seriousness. "Have a look over there," Tetra grimly stated, pointing out to sea. "That's the cursed isle known as the Forsaken Fortress."

Link looked ahead and shivered. The landmark was a fortress, all right. And it was _creepy_.

Searchlights covered every part of the fort, and a dozen anchors decorated the dead tree above it. Link spotted the monster bird in its nest, and growled with anger.

Tetra turned back to Link. "There are all sorts of strange rumors about this place. What I do know is that long ago, it used to be the hideout of a no-good group of pirates we used to compete with..."

Tetra pointed at the destroyed ship located at the left of the fort. "Well... You can see what happened to them..." she muttered, gravely.

Link shivered, the reality of the situation finally hitting him.

"Those pirates were just small time, though," said Tetra. "Now, the place looks like it's pretty dangerous."

"Tell me about it," agreed Link.

Tetra nodded absentmindedly, when her eyes extended open. "Ah! I knew it! Look!"

She pointed to a specific window, located around the center of the fort, from the kids' point of view. The window was being swarmed with seagulls.

As Link was looking, Tetra sneakily put a stone into his pocket. _If he thinks he's getting no help in this, he has another thing coming to him, _thought Tetra.

"Have you ever seen so many seagulls flock like that before?" asked Tetra.

"Not really," answered Link. "The only time I see that many seagulls..."

His eyes lit up.

"... Is when my sister is nearby!" he shouted, brightly.

Tetra smirked. "Now we're on the same page!" She looked back to the fort, her smile quickly vanishing. "But it looks like the whole place is under really tight guard."

"No kidding," said Link, counting at least eight searchlights.

"This won't work," said Tetra. "We'd be spotted before we got anywhere near landing there. Hmmmmm... What do we do now..."

Link turned to his right to see Tetra give him the most mysterious wink he had ever seen...

* * *

And then he was on a catapult, in a barrel.

"WHA-?!" screamed Link. "THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY TO GET IN THE FORT!"

"Quit your shouting!" hissed Tetra. "You'll give away our position!"

"I'm pretty sure a flying barrel will do the _EXACT SAME THING!_" cried Link.

"Oh hush!" snarked Tetra. "Look, don't struggle. This is the only way to do it. Trust me."

Link paused in his struggling to stare at Tetra as if she had gone bananas. She ignored it. He could call her crazy after this whole fiasco was all over.

"We pirates do this all the time," she said, as comfort. "Never you fear, kid. We're pros. We're going to launch you good!"

"Is everybody ready?!" she commanded the crew.

"Aye!" The crew responded.

"Alright then! On my count!" Tetra yelled.

"3"

Link thought about his situation.

"2"

He decided enough was enough.

"1"

It was time to get serious.

And then, Link went flying.

Tetra watched the barrel when a thought came to mind. "... Who was aiming the catapult this time?"

Gonzo froze in fear when he realized the answer. "M-Mako."

"_Mako?!_" exclaimed Tetra. "But his glasses are still broken!"

She looked back at the barrel, paused for a moment, then smirked, putting her hands behind her head.

"Well, this oughtta be fun to watch."

* * *

**CRASH!**

"OOF!" wheezed Link.

His back felt much lighter, he noticed, as his body was stuck to the wall.

Before he could ponder further, however, gravity did it's magic, and pulled Link off the wall and into the water.

**SPLOOSSHHHH!**

It didn't take too long for Link to swim back to the surface, but his hatred for Tetra came back with a vengeance.

"'Pros' my _foot,_" cursed Link as he got out of the water.

All of a sudden, Link felt a vibration in his legs startling the pants off of him. He quickly felt around to feel a rock-like object attached to string, in his pocket. He pulled it out to confirm that it definitely was a stone attached to string. But the weird part was it was glowing.

Then the rock _talked_ to him.

"Hey, Link!"

And at sounded just like _Tetra_.

"Tetra, you no good-!"

"Keep your voice down, idiot!" hushed Tetra.

"Anyways," the stone continued, "I slipped this stone into your pocket just before we fired you over there. It's no ordinary stone either, if you can tell. I can see what you're doing through this stone, and obviously you can hear me through it. But I need it back after you save your sister! I only gave you this so that whenever you need advice, you have something you can use to get it!"

"I don't need any advice right now," seethed Link.

"You're mad about the barrel thing, aren't you? Sorry, didn't realize _Mako_ of all people was aiming the thing."

Link grumbled. "I'm going on ahead."

"I wouldn't recommend it!" shouted Tetra.

"And why not?!" snarled Link, moving forward and not paying attention.

"Because, you dolt, you're heading to an area loaded with-!"

Suddenly, bright lights were everywhere, sirens were blaring and bells were ringing.

"...searchlights," finished Tetra, grumbling.

Link scowled, as he put his hands up.

* * *

Link landed with a "_Thud!_" as he was tossed behind bars, like a rag doll. He quickly brushed himself off, and went to sit down, and think about how to escape.

Or he _was_ anyway, until he stumbled upon a sleeping figure in a corner of the room. When Link got closer, Link was immensely creeped out.

It was a boy. He had a green tunic, a belt around his waist, and a belt that went diagonally from his right shoulder down to the left side of his hip (from Link's perspective). He had on brown boots, which seemed old and very worn out. He seemed to carry a shield and sword behind his back, along with some sort of satchel.

But the thing that struck Link the most, was the child's head.

The boy had blonde messy hair, and a green floppy cap.

This child, with minor differences, looked exactly like _Link_.

**AN: And thus the two heroes are finally together. The fun starts here. See you soon!**


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting the Past

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: A HUGE thank you to Glaciealis for reviewing and telling me to keep up the good work! It means a lot to me! Okay, this is where I start making things up instead of just novelizing. Hang on tight, in case this ride gets bumpy! Here we go!**

* * *

Link was busy examining the room for the fiftieth time, when the mysterious child woke up.

Link placed all of his focus towards the new kid as he shook himself awake, and fluttered his eyes open.

_Okay, Link, you can do this. You know what he'll ask. He'll ask where his parents are, and freak out when he can't find them. Then, all you have to do is comfort him and promise him you'll find a way out,_ planned Link.

But, the best laid plans, of Link and the world, seemed to be going astray lately.

As soon as Link managed to make eye contact with the blue eyed stranger, the air was forced out of his lungs as the newcomer pounced on Link and pinned him to the floor.

"AACK!" shouted Link, in pain and alarm.

Link tried to roll on the ground to break free, but the kid's grip was unbelievably fierce. The kid kept his hold on Link, clinging onto him like a leech.

Seeing that rolling wasn't helping, and being too terrified to be in the same room with the young maniac, Link kicked the kid in the gut. This finally got the kid off of him, so Link ran to the other side of the room.

_Okay then, you wanna fight?! You got it!_ shouted Link's mind. We reached for his back to draw out his trusty sword.

Only to remember that he no longer had a sword.

The child, however, _did _have a sword in his hands, one that glowed bright yellow.

Link gulped, deciding that the only thing he could do now, would be to either talk to the kid, or get away from him.

Well, since the kid was charging at Link, sword in hand and screaming like a war soldier, Link decided running would come first.

Link somersaulted to his right, out of the way of the child's gleaming sword, which barely missed the shelf.

However, the kid was prepared. He sidestepped twice, up to Link, and thrust the sword straight at him.

Link ducked this time, hearing the crack of stone as the sword made a small dent in the wall.

Link kicked out his legs, making the kid trip. But immediately after, the kid latched onto Link again, even harder than before, and the second round of ground-rolling began.

Link had to kick the youngster off with both of his feet this time, and managed to scramble to the opposite side of the room, across the wooden shelf, while the crazy kid sat on the ground, slightly dazed from the force of the kick.

When the kid came to, he saw Link with a chair in his hands.

The terrified Link tossed the chair, pleading that it would do something to the child, but the kid effortlessly cut through it with his sword. While Link was frozen in shock, the kid sprinted towards him, leaped onto the table, dove off of it, and slammed Link down to the floor. By that point, Link had no fight left in him.

All of Link's physical and mental strength had left him, making it easy for the child to lift Link up by the shirt collar, and pin him against a wall.

The horrifying kid then proceeded to shout gibberish words at Link, which of course did not help with Link's mentality.

"Wha- wh- I don't-" spluttered Link.

This only angered the child, so he roughly slammed Link against the wall and continued to shout nonsense.

"I really don't know what-" Link panicked.

The kid yanked Link off the wall, and up to his face. He brought his right fist up, ready to punch Link right in the face, and kept shouting, even louder than before.

That put Link over the edge. In a surge of energy, he punched the kid in the gut, _hard_, sending him sprawling to the ground as Link got as far away from him as possible.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL ME!" Link screamed, in anger.

And with that, all violence ended, leaving behind one boy, fists clenched, in a corner, and another boy wheezing on the ground.

When the kid got up, he shook his head, to regain focus, and stared at Link, who had his fists clenched, looking as ticked as the child was, only seconds ago.

As the kid attempted to take a step closer to Link, the latter snarled. "You stay away from me! I won't let you attack me any more!"

The kid froze, and just stood there. Link took notice that all anger had left the new child. But that didn't matter. The child had badly injured Link, so he obviously wasn't going to immediately forgive the kid and start trusting him again. He would have to do something that wasn't painful in order to regain his trust.

The child sat down, crossing his legs, against the opposite wall of Link's position. He didn't take his eyes off of Link, though, which Link didn't like.

Of course, Link couldn't help but note that the child seemed much more sane than before he was kicked in the gut. But since he had know idea _why_, he remained wary.

"Alright," Link spoke up. "I have NO IDEA what that was about, or who you are, so you owe me some answers!" Link demanded.

The child solemnly nodded in understanding.

"So, first off, what the heck was that gibberish you were shouting at me?!"

The child tilted his head, making Link frustrated.

"Whaaaat. Weeerrreeee. Youuuu. Saaaayyyying-"

"Hey, knock it off," snapped the child. "I heard you the first time."

Link threw his hands up in the air, finding it unbelievable that he could've understood everything the kid had said to him, if he only remembered to speak _English_.

"I'm surprised that you don't understand the Hylian language," said the child. "I thought you were trying to trick me."

"Trick you? I was _defending_ myself!" shouted Link.

"There's no need to shout," said the child. "It isn't going to get us anywhere."

Surprisingly, the child's tone silenced Link immediately, his voice expressing wisdom that no child should ever have at that point in his or her life.

"If I told you why I attacked you, you wouldn't believe me," said the boy.

"This morning, I defeated three pig-men, and my sister was kidnapped by a gigantic bird. Try me," challenged Link.

The child sighed. "I attacked because... I mistook you for my dark self."

Link stared at him. "If I wasn't all bruised up, I'd be laughing."

The child groaned. "I had a feeling you wouldn't believe me."

Then, the kid quickly dug around in his satchel and took out a bottle full of red liquid. He rolled the bottle to Link, telling him, "Drink this. It'll help with your injuries."

Link squinted at him. "You just tried to kill me. You can't expect me to just drink something that was given to to me by someone who wanted me dead. Especially if that drink is _red_."

The kid rolled his eyes, dug into his satchel, and took out another bottle of red liquid. Link stood in alarm as the kid proceeded to take his sword and slice his own hand. He then quickly downed the liquid.

Link watched in awe as the gash vanished from the kid's hand. The kid smirked at Link, and gazed at the other bottle, beckoning Link to do what he said.

Link gulped down the liquid as though it was his grandma's soup, ignoring the bitter taste. Link immediately felt like a million rupees.

"Better?" asked the child.

"Much better," responded Link, smiling slightly. "Thanks."

"Of course," responded the kid, catching the bottle when Link tossed it to him.

"Well, I guess I now have a reason to trust you," said Link. "But I'm not done asking questions."

"Wow. That's surprising," remarked the kid, sarcastically.

"Oh shut it," said Link, smirking. "Anyway, next question: where did you come from?"

The child gave Link a look that showed confusion about why he would ask such a question, but answered anyway.

"Well, I was raised in Kokiri Forest, but I was born in Hyrule. Recently, I've settled into Kak-"

"Waitwaitwaitholdonasecond," interrupted Link. "Did I hear that right? _Hyrule?_" he asked, skeptically.

The kid nodded. "Of course. You heard correctly. I'm surprised you're not familiar with the place."

"Well, _I'm_ surprised with how out of it you are!" Link exclaimed.

"_Excuse_ me?!" shouted the kid, deeply offended.

"Kid, Hyrule is gone! It's been gone for hundreds of years! Heck, I don't even know if the place is actually real!"

"Gone?!" exclaimed the child. "What happened to it?!"

Link stared blankly. "Nobody knows. Come on, you've heard the legends, haven't you?"

"No! Of course not! I don't know what you're talking about!" shouted the kid, extremely perplexed and annoyed.

Link gawked. "Well, you could've fooled me! With your appearance and everything, you seem like a fanatic over the legends. You even dressed yourself to look like the Hero of Time!

"Well that's because _I AM THE HERO OF TIME!_" the child spat in annoyance.

...

"If that's supposed to be a joke, it isn't funny," said Link.

"Joke? What joke? I told you the humble truth! Do you honestly think I would say that just to get a _laugh?!_" said the child, even more annoyed.

"Okay, okay, remember that conversation we had about Hyrule being gone for a long time? Well, the Hero of Time has been gone for an even _longer_ amount of time than Hyrule. So, I'm going to need more than your word to believe you're _the _Hero of Time."

_He won't be able to do it, _thought Link.

The kid groaned, stood up, and walked right up to Link.

He clenched his left hand into a fist, and held it up, in order for Link to see a glowing symbol on the back of the child's hand, a symbol that looked just like one the ancient drawings depicted in the legends.

_The Triforce of Courage._

Link stumbled onto the ground in shock.

All this time, Link was talking to the Hero of Time.

"Oh my goodness..." whispered Link.

"Believe me now?" said the hero, smirking.

"Y-Yes sir," responded Link.

"Good," said the hero, eyeing the suspicious vase on top of the wooden shelf. "Now, I think it's time for us to get out of this jail cell."

* * *

"How the heck are we supposed to communicate?" whispered the islander as he and the hero crawled through the small, newly revealed tunnel.

"What do you mean?" asked the hero.

"Well, your name is 'Link', I'm assuming?" asked the islander.

"That's correct" whispered the hero.

"Well, that's _my_ name as well. Won't that get confusing?" worried the islander, exiting the tunnel.

"I don't see any trouble with it," answered the hero, also exiting the tunnel.

"Okay, maybe not for _you_, but it definitely will be hard for _me_," grumbled the islander. "We need nicknames. Do you have any?"

The hero became as red as Tetra's scarf. "I'd... Rather not say."

"Aw come on!" whispered the islander. "Your secret is safe with me!"

"'F-Fairy Boy...'"

The islander snorted in surprise and hilarity. "_'Fairy Boy'?!_"

"...and 'Grasshopper'"

The islander was having an extremely difficult time keeping himself together. How did the Hero of Time obtain such titles like 'Fairy Boy' and 'Grasshopper'? He'd have to look into it much later.

"Well, I'm obviously not gonna call you that. That doesn't fit you. Ooh! You travel through time, right?! How about, 'Time Link?!'" said the islander.

The hero looked back at the islander, and gave the name thought. He then smiled. "I think that'll do just fine."

_Oh my goodness, I made the Hero of Time smile!_ screamed the islander's mind. _This is AWESOME!_

"But what about you?" asked Time Link. "You need a nickname too."

The islander grimaced in shame. "Yeah, right. You've traveled through time. Me on the other hand, figured out what a sail is, and that was only this morning."

Time Link smirked. "Well, I think 'Sail Link' suits you perfectly."

The islander froze in his tracks. "'Sail Link?' I LOVE IT!"

Time Link slammed his hand over Sail Link's mouth.

"SHHHHHHH!" scolded Time Link. "Do you want to get us hauled right back into jail again?! They could find that huge hole and close it off, making the hopes of escaping pointless!"

"You're right. You're right. I'm sorry," shuddered Sail Link.

Before they could move on though, a thought crossed Sail Link's mind.

"Ummm, sir?"

"Sail Link, you gave me a nickname. You might as well use it."

"Right. Sorry. Time Link?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have more than one sword?"

* * *

Sail Link and Time Link went through the door to find themselves outside. Sail Link held onto the yellowish sword from before, named the Gilded Sword, according to Time Link. Time Link, on the other hand, was holding a sword that was decorated with a purple blade and green vines, and was about the same height as Time Link himself. It was named the Great Fairy Sword.

"So you are trying to rescue your sister, who's in that room where the seagulls are flying around the window? Did I hear that right?" asked Time Link.

"Yes," answered Sail Link. "It would be a huge bonus if I could teach that bird monster a lesson as well."

Time Link stifled a chuckle. "Well, before we can storm the fortress, it would seem we will have to take out all of the searchlights."

"On it," said Sail Link, running ahead, only to be held back by Time Link.

"Easy does it," said Time Link. "You have a sword, yes, but you can't just run right into the sight of your enemies. You have to make them believe that they are up against a force of nature."

"Well that's easy for you to say," said Sail Link. "You are the Hero of Time!"

"Hush!" said Time Link. "Do you want every monster in this fortress to know that the bearer of the Triforce of Courage is in their domain?!"

"Sorry sir," replied Sail Link, humbly, even though he didn't understand why it riled Time Link up so much.

"I forgive you. Now then, our first searchlight seems to be up this ladder," noted Time Link. "Climb the ladder slowly and quietly, silence your footsteps, and when you see the hair on the monster's back, let him have it."

"Right," said Sail Link, gripping the Gilded Sword as he climbed the ladder.

Time Link kept watch, and waited in silence.

Soon after, he heard the pig-man, called a Bokoblin, according to the eye of truth, squawk in surprise. He heard a slice, a dice, and a stab, followed by a puff of smoke. _This kid has a good handle on swordplay_ thought Time Link._ I'll do what I can to improve it even further._

When Time Link saw two spotlights rise to the air and disappear, he knew the islander had succeeded. He smiled as he observed Sail Link climb down the ladder.

"That was scary," shuddered Sail Link.

"But you persevered. And that is amazing," said Time Link. "Come on. We have three more to go."

"Whoopee..." moaned Sail Link.

The two went through a tunnel, opened a door, and disappeared back into the indoor section of the fortress.

* * *

Time Link peeked around the corner to see two creatures, labeled Moblins, patrolling the area._ Are those seriously Moblins?_ he thought. _They look so less threatening than they do back home!_

He returned to his original position to speak to Sail Link. "Alright, those two huge monsters around the corner are Moblins. They look pretty easy compared to where I come from. Do you think you can hide in a barrel until I'm through with them?"

Sail Link nodded, "Yes, Time Link. I'll be alright."

"Good. Stay in the shadows. I'll be back before you know it," said Time Link, drawing out the Great Fairy Sword and edging around the corner, while Sail Link placed a barrel over his body to hide.

Something that spooked Sail Link was the voice of Time Link whenever he fought, and even when he wasn't fighting. His voice was so different from his looks. When he shouted, he sounded... troubled. Full of experience, but troubled. And overall, his tone sounded much older than his actual age.

Being a man of his word, the battle was over before Sail Link knew it, and he found the barrel being lifted over his head. Link was soon staring back at the face of Time Link, smiling.

"The coast is clear," said Time Link.

Sail Link smiled, as he stretched out of his crouching position. "Alright. I'm ready to push on."

"That's the spirit," said Time Link, patting Sail Link on the back. "Shall we?"

They both entered the gigantic double-door, and continued onward.

* * *

The rest of the path carried on much the same. With each searchlight that came down, Sail Link was closer to saving his sister. Not only that, but he got to meet the Hero of Time. Best. Birthday Present. Ever, thought Sail Link.

Eventually, all searchlights were off as Sail Link and Time Link sidled their way across a narrow path to get to another set of double doors. But the double doors were only noticed by Time Link.

Sail Link, on the other hand, had his eyes set on his lost sword, lying in the center of the area.

The islander ran to his sword and picked it up, jumping with joy, when he heard the voice of Time Link scream "LOOK OUT!"

Sail Link somersaulted just in time to avoid an attack from a dull-green Bokoblin that was hiding in the shadows. It sneered at Sail Link, holding its own sword up. Sail Link gulped, seeing that the Bokoblin's sword was much bigger than his own.

_However,_ Sail Link thought, smirking, _this freak isn't wielding two swords._

Sail Link brought out the Gilded Sword, and used it to sharpen his training sword, while he glared menacingly at the Bokoblin.

The Bokoblin never even got a chance to swing.

When the spike barricades sunk, Time Link ran up to Sail Link, and shook him vigorously. "WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT RUNNING BLINDLY INTO ENEMY LINES?!"

"'D-Don't do it?" said Sail Link, dizzily.

"Right!" shouted Time Link, slapping Sail Link lightly. "Don't ever do it again."

"Yes, Time Link," responded Sail Link.

Time Link took a deep breath, before demanding Sail Link to give him his Gilded Sword back. Sail Link reluctantly handed the beautiful sword back to its original wielder.

"Alright," said Time Link, in determination. "Let's go save your sister."

They pushed the doors open, and walked inside.

* * *

The revealed room was especially tall, spiraling upwards and decorated with torches. The room seemed especially empty, until a gasp reached the boys' ears.

Turning slightly to the right, the boys saw a cage containing three little girls. And one of the girls was none other than Sail Link's little sister, Aryll.

Sail Link went to sprint to the cage, but Time Link held him back once again. When Sail Link turned around, he saw that Time Link's face had shifted to one of turmoil.

"Something's wrong," said Time Link, quickly.

A screech from above confirmed Time Link's worry.

"GET AWAY FROM THE CENTER!" shouted Time Link, yanking Sail Link back, in just enough time for the giant bird to come crashing down upon them, looking just as ferocious as ever.

In a swift motion, the bird had snatched Sail Link in its mouth, while Time Link cursed that he couldn't use the megaton hammer in his current body, much to Sail Link's confusion. The bird flew up into the sky, Time Link's shouts dying away.

Soon after, Sail Link saw himself in front of what appeared to be the front of a broken down ship, but it was lit up.

On closer inspection, Sail Link noticed the presence of a man. He seemed clothed in robes, and he stood very proudly. But what stood out the most was his gray skin and bright red hair.

This man looked downright _threatening_.

A nod of the man's head, and the bird flung Sail Link far away from the fortress.

So Sail Link found himself without hope, yet again, as he plummeted to the ocean below...

**AN: Don't worry. Time Link will be back before you know it. See you all later!**


	4. Chapter 4: Learning Limits

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: A huge thank you to the people who are pushing me along in the reviews and follows and favorites! You guys are the best! I apologize for the delay, I had school and that new cover art. But now that it's over, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**AN: UPDATE: I realized there was a ton I could have done with this chapter that I ignored. Well, not anymore! I've extended this chapter. Have fun!**

* * *

When the islander woke up, it was to beautiful music.

The kid scrunched up his already closed eyes, for fear of them being blinded if opened, noting that the sun had come up. Once he was composed enough, he held his right arm up to his face, and slowly opened his eyes.

He took in his surroundings. It was a gorgeous day out, a calm breeze blowing, a lone seagull flying by the child's field of view. Interestingly, he found himself in a very small cave, one that ended right behind him. As for what the was sitting on, it seemed to be a small red boat, complete with a dragon's head, made out of wood, placed in the front.

And right in front of the kid was the Hero of Time, sitting on the edge of the boat, playing a peculiar instrument. When the hero was aware of the islander's awakening, he lowered his instrument from his lips and smiled at him.

"Welcome back, Sail Link," said Time Link, warmly.

Sail Link stared back at Time Link groggily, clearly half asleep. When his memories finally caught up to him, his eyes bulged and the kid bolted up to a sitting position. Unfortunately, this sudden burst of energy made him extremely queasy, and he quickly supported himself as his head almost crashed on the wooden floor.

Time Link's face became stern. "You just woke up from an unconscious state that lasted at least 6 hours. You can't immediately jump back into battle."

"But my sister-!" panicked Sail Link.

"Is safe," interrupted Time Link. "It will just take us a little more time to return to the fortress. But trust me, we will save her."

Sail Link slumped down, his body finally winding down from defeat, dismay, and fatigue. Nevertheless, he didn't lose hope, especially since the words he heard came out of the Hero himself.

"Fine. I trust you," said Sail Link, glumly.

Time Link walked up to Sail Link and gave him a fierce pat on the back, before slowly hoisting him up. Sail Link muttered a simple thanks, as Time Link walked up to the front of the boat.

Sail Link was startled by a third voice, booming all around him.

"So, the lad has finally come to his senses?" asked the new voice.

"Yes sir," replied Time Link, heightening Sail Link's confusion.

"Time Link, who the heck are you talking to-"

Then the boat's wooden dragon-head turned around and stared at Sail Link.

The poor kid yelped in shock, lost his balance, and toppled backwards onto the floor. Time Link winced, while the boat laughed.

"You just had to startle him," muttered Time Link, giving the boat a slight glower.

"Wha- What is-" rambled Sail Link, as his senses of reality recovered from a brutal slap to the face.

"I suppose your startled reaction is only natural. As wide as the world is, I am the only boat upon it who can speak the words of men," stated the boat. This made Sail Link turn to Time Link, silently asking for confirmation of the boat's claim. The hero simply shrugged in reply.

Sail Link warily turned back to the boat. "Ummmm... just who are you anyway?" Sail Link bluntly asked.

"Sail Link, show some respect!" hissed Time Link, which made the boat chuckle again.

"It is okay, I'm not offended," said the boat calmly, before returning his attention to Sail Link once more. "I am the King of Red Lions. Do not fear... I am not your enemy."

Sail Link turned his gaze back to Time Link again, and received a single nod of confirmation.

"Apparently, he has been watching both of us since we met during your rescue mission," added Time Link, before turning to the boat to give it, or more specifically _him_, another small glare. "With all due respect, your Majesty, it would have been beneficial to know of your presence _before_ that huge bird snatched this child and chucked him into the ocean," said Time Link, coldly.

"Wait, hang on," blurted Sail Link, "You two met while I was floating in the water, unconscious?!"

"Not exactly," quickly added Time Link, hoping to calm Sail Link. "The King had already saved you when we met."

Time Link turned back to the King of Red Lions, silently asking for permission. The King nodded his approval, and Time Link turned back to tell Sail Link the whole story...

* * *

_Time Link silently cursed as he paced back and forth in the jail room, angry that he allowed this new kid to be so easily taken away. The girls in the jail cell watched this with interest, all except for the girl with bright yellow hair; she was extremely worried._

_After a certain length of time, she had enough, and screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"_

_Time Link halted, and turned to look at the angered girl, his eyes wide open._

_"Big Brother is in trouble now! Aren't you going to help him?!" screamed the girl, making Time Link back away in subtle fright. Of the many things that he could brave up against, "angry girls" definitely wasn't on the list._

_Time Link stuttered, "But- But- you need to be rescued-"_

_"Forget about me!" shouted the girl, ignoring the other girls when they pleaded the exact opposite of her demand. "My big brother is in much more trouble than I am!"_

_Time Link still seemed hesitant. "You sure you'll be alright?"_

_The girl eagerly nodded. "Yes, I'll be perfectly fine! Jeez you're just like Big Brother, always putting me before himself! Just Go!"_

_Time Link quickly nodded, and ran for the door._

_"Wait!" added the child. "I never got your name!"_

_Time Link didn't even turn around, quickly shouting "Just call me 'friend'!" before exiting the jail room._

* * *

_When Time Link finally made it to the entrance of the dark fort, only slightly out of breath, he quickly scanned the large area of water._

Shoot_, cursed Time Link's mind,_ By the time I find him, he'll already be underwater!

_But that's when Time Link witnessed a peculiar sight._

_A small red boat, decorated with a wooden dragon-head, came into his line of view. Time Link, not caring in the least if any monsters heard him, shouted at the top of his lungs to whoever was in charge of the boat._

_Instead of seeing a person notice his screaming, however, Time Link saw the dragon head turn to the right to look at him._

_To say Time Link was startled was an understatement, but he had no time to think bout it, considering he had to save Sail Link._

_"A child was thrown into the ocean!" shouted Time Link. "I need to rescue him!"_

_The boat cruised to Time Link as quickly as it could, as the kid realized the boat had no sail. When the boat finally reached him, it smiled._

_"I do believe I have already found who you are looking for, Hero of Time," said the boat._

_"How do you know my-?" asked Link, until his voice died off, noticing the yellow haired child in green lying in the boat._

_"We must away," said the boat. "Although I am certain you can storm this fortress with little difficulty, I'm afraid this child needs more time to gain experience."_

_"I understand how the young man's desire to protect his sister could give him the courage to fearlessly stand up to anything," continued the boat, "but such a bold attempt was foolhardy!"_

_Time Link slowly nodded with understanding. "Of course. It was wrong of me to let him run up to danger without second thought. He definitely has a lot to learn, especially with what appears to be quite a vast world."_

_"Well if you were to climb aboard," said the boat. "I'm almost certain your presence in this world would be most beneficial. It would be beneficial to you and I as well."_

_"How?" asked Time Link._

_"Well, I can first tell you where you are exactly. I can also fill you in on some events. I won't tell you what to do, because I assumed you are one who would rather figure things out yourself than have others tell them to you."_

_"You assumed correctly," said Time Link. "And you're right, knowing where on earth I am would be much appreciated."_

_"With the challenges he will have to overcome, I'm certain your involvement would also make this new child very pleased," added the boat_

_Time Link looked at the unconscious form of Sail Link, and sighed._

_"Fine. I'll tag along. But not for you. I'm doing this for the boy."_

_"I would be shocked if you accepted this task for my benefits," the boat chuckled, as Time Link climbed aboard._

_"We must be off," said the boat. "Without the use of a sail, it will take the rest of the evening to reach our destination."_

_"And while we are on our way," he continued, "We have a lot of, how do you say it, 'catching up' to do..."_

* * *

"Huh," said Sail Link, as Time Link's story ended. "Well that sorta makes sense. Not a lot though."

"Trust me, you are going to be witnessing many peculiar happenings a lot more often, for a while," added Time Link.

"So uh... has the boat told you that info that he promised you?" asked Sail Link.

"No I have not," answered the King of Red Lions. "I told the Hero of Time-"

"I'd rather you didn't call me that," grumbled Time Link.

"Apologies," said the King. "Time Link, is it?"

"It is," replied Time Link.

"Right," said the King, before clearing his throat. "I wished for you and Time Link to be awake at the same time, for I fear if I repeat myself, others will surely hear me, and with this information I hold, being heard from others could become disastrous."

Sail Link only shrugged. "Well alright then. I'm listening."

"So am I," agreed Time Link, with a nod. Both children sat down on the wooden floor, ready to hear what the King of Red Lions wished to tell them.

* * *

"Now then, Link," the King said to the islander.

"_Sail_ Link, sir," said Sail Link, taking pride in his new nickname given to him by the hero.

"Right, Sail Link," the King corrected himself. "I suppose you saw him... The shadow that commands that monstrous bird..."

Sail Link nodded with confirmation, while Time Link's face hardened.

"That man has a name," said the King, lowering his voice.

"His name is... Ganon..."

The sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed. Sail Link and the King of Red Lions turned their heads to see Time Link as rigid as a statue. His jaw was clenched, his arms were shaking, and his chest was rapidly expanding and contrasting with each breath he took. Sail Link grew a look of worry, while the King closed his eyes in understanding.

As if Time Link's reaction alone wasn't enough to make Sail Link fear the new name, the King of Red Lions continued.

"Ganon..." said the boat. "It was he who obtained the power of the gods, attempted to cover the land in darkness, and was ultimately sealed away by the very power he hoped to command."

Sail Link gulped. "I don't like the sound of this at all."

"You'd be crazy if you _did_," hissed Time Link, still trembling with anger.

"He is the very same Ganon..." continued the King. "He is the emperor of the dark realm the ancient legends speak of..."

Suddenly, the structure of the boat shook as Time Link pounded his fist on the wooden floor, making Sail Link jump.

"This is wrong! This is ALL wrong!" screamed the hero. "He was sealed away by the sages! How in the holy works of the deities did he break free?!"

"I do not know why the seal of the sages has failed," said the King, as calmly as he could. "But now that Ganon has returned, the world is once again being threatened by his evil magic."

Time Link growled, while poor Sail Link shivered.

"Tell me, Sail Link," said the King. "Do you wish to save your sister from him?"

With that question, all the details of Ganon's power was tossed out the mental window of Sail Link. He stood up, ignoring the sudden lightheaded feeling that surged through his head.

"What kind of a brother do you think I am?!" shouted Sail Link, stunning Time Link. "Of course I wish to save my sister! I'll do anything to save her!"

Time Link's jaw had slackened, while the King closed his eyes in thought. Sail Link kept on his strong glare the entire time.

"I see..." said the King of Red Lions.

"You're crazy," said Time Link. "But if you're that determined, I shall help you see this through to the end."

"Thank you sir," said Sail Link, beaming, as Time Link scratched the back of his own head sheepishly.

"In that case, when you need help, I shall guide you as we go forward," stated the King. "I can also advise you on what you should do and where you must go, but again, that's only whenever you deem it necessary."

Time Link roughly put his arm around Link, like a brother. "You shouldn't have to worry too much about where to go next, Sail Link," said Time Link. "I know from experience that when you don't follow a linear path, it can be beneficial."

"Do not take any of this lightly, Sail Link," said the King. "Ganon cannot be defeated by human hands, and my apologies for saying this, but you would not be able to defeat him with what little strength you possess.

"The key to defeating Ganon is locked away in a great power that you can wield only after much toil and hardship."

Sail Link felt Time Link's hold tighten around him, making Sail Link wheeze slightly.

"No way!" Time Link snapped. "Are you heartless?! There must be another way!" he shouted, Sail Link's bewilderment returning with a vengeance.

The King solemnly shook his head. "I'm sorry Time Link, but I'm afraid such other ways have never made themselves known. No, this way is the only kind that I know of. I am deeply sorry."

Time Link darted his gaze to Sail Link, giving the islander a chance to observe the eyes of the hero.

The hero's eyes were tired. That was the thing that stood out. There were of course many other features about them that made Sail Link question why the details were there in the first place, but the reason why the hero's bright blue eyes were so dull and exhausted was the biggest mystery of them all. Sail Link would have to remember to eventually find out why. However, the reason why didn't matter at the moment.

Sail Link was too young to jump to conclusions. But there was no hiding, especially from a child, the fact that Time Link seemed incapable of being a kid.

And with that, Sail Link made his first independent choice in his new quest: he was going to do whatever it took to bring eternal joy back to the Hero of Time.

Sail Link stood up, and looked into the eyes of the King of Red Lions.

"I understand what needs to be done," said Sail Link. "And I will take the challenge, but only if Time Link is with me."

"This is an outrage!" shouted Time Link, standing up to look directly at Sail Link. "I can't let you do this! This quest will ruin your life!"

"I'd like to see it try," said Sail Link, smirking, his youthful qualities shining brightly. "And if a similar quest ruined your life, then I'm gonna be the one that makes you enjoy your life all over again!"

Time Link looked at Sail Link as if the islander was insane, while the King laughed wholeheartedly at Sail Link's enthusiasm.

"In that case, we depart!" announced the King of Red Lions. "To the Great Sea!"

"This whole thing is ridiculous," said Time Link, slumping with worry. "But if you're that devoted, I guess I have no choice but to join you."

"Don't worry!" shouted Sail Link. "I'm gonna do my best to make sure you have the best time ever!"

Time Link smiled in spite of himself. "Well alright then. I look forward to seeing you try."

"I won't just try, I will succeed!" exclaimed Sail Link.

The King of Red Lions couldn't help but chortle at the friendly banter of the two boys. _I can tell that this quest will benefit both of these boys immensely,_ he thought to himself.

But then, a thought came to the King, one that made him wish he had legs so he could kick himself.

"Ah. I am getting ahead of myself," said the King, silencing the boys. He then turned towards the sea, and looked down, almost embarrassed.

_If the King had any flesh,_ thought Time Link,_ I have a feeling he would be blushing right now._

"This is actually a bit embarrassing for me to admit, but... although I am indeed a boat that possesses the power of speech... I possess no sail, and a boat with no sail can sail no seas," said the King of Red Lions, timid as could be.

Not surprisingly, Time Link was forced to try very hard not to laugh, while Sail Link burst with giggles and fell to the floor.

"Stop it," said the King, without threat. He waited for the boys to calm down, and continued.

"Now then, I have brought both of you to a place called Windfall Island. Windfall island, you'll be happy to know, is far to the east of the dark gaze of the Forsaken Fortress," said the King, appreciating the relief that flooded the children's faces.

"On this island," he resumed, "is a town of merchants who deal in a wide variety of goods. If you search hard enough, surely you can find one who will sell you a sail. I am sorry to ask this of you, but without a sail, I will be useless to you," he finished, doing his best to ignore the boys as their laughter returned.

"Not to worry, sir," said Time Link, as the two dismounted the vessel. "We'll find a sail for you."

"Many thanks to you," said the King. "This island of merchants is home to many valuable goods. The information they provide you may come in handy. But of course, you boys don't need me to tell you that, do you?" said the King, laughing.

"Nope!" agreed Sail Link, smiling.

"But remember," said the King, his tone serious once more. "Come back here immediately as soon as your errands are done. There is no time to play."

"Aw man," griped Sail Link, begrudgingly deciding to do what he was told.

Time Link, instead, put his foot down.

"Sir," said the hero, slightly raising his voice. "I don't want to be the one to remind you that Sail Link hasn't slept in hours. The only kind of sleep he has received, in what could now be twenty four hours, was in the form of unconsciousness. He needs a chance to wind down and relax."

"I wish I could allow that, but I mustn't!" shouted the King. "We don't have enough time-"

Sail Link watched as Time Link put his hands on his hips and gave the King a look. Sail Link could only describe it as a boy variation of one of Tetra's poses. Sail Link stifled a chuckle.

"Ohhhhh," said the King, understanding flooding his face. "Silly me, I forgot about that."

Sail Link, befuddled by the King's words, only shrugged as Time Link gave the King a simple nod. Time Link turned back and walked up to Sail Link, smiling.

"So, how's about exploring this island?" asked Time Link.

Sail Link grew a big smile, his decision already made.

* * *

"Come here, piggy!" shouted Sail Link, as he joyfully chased the newly discovered pig all along the shore of Windfall island. Time Link looked at this exchange with slight amusement, as he took in the open grass area close to the shore. In a town that seemed engrossed with industry and markets, he was glad that at least some sort of plant life was being left alone.

Time Link was startled when the pig dashed between his legs, sprinting off as Time Link kept his eyes on it. By the time he turned back to his previous field of vision, it was too late.

**WHAM!**

Sail Link, who had never bothered to to look up when he was chasing the pig, collided into Time Link, making both of them land unceremoniously onto the grass below them. From a distance, two little girls burst with laughter, while the two boys groaned in pain.

"Get off me," Time Link wheezed out. Sail Link could only roll off to the side to get off, his head barely managing to hold on to consciousness. It couldn't take anymore beatings.

"Sorrryyyyy," moaned Sail Link, his head pounding.

Time Link was the first to stand up, and he held out a hand for Sail Link to grab. When he did, Time Link carefully hoisted him back on his feet, as Sail Link wobbled.

"You okay?" asked Time Link.

"Y-yeah, yeah. I think so," said Sail Link, dizzily.

"You need to know your limits, Sail Link. There's only so much your body can take."

"But I wanna be awesommmeeee," said Sail Link.

"Don't worry. Your limit will expand over time. But as of right now, nothing is trying to kill us. So take it easy," said Time Link.

"Fine, fine," grumbled Sail Link. Time Link patted him on the back, and the boys moved ahead. But they both made mental notes to give those two girls payback for laughing at them.

* * *

"What is so important to you that you had to startle us with your presence?" grumbled Time Link to the overly dramatic old man.

"Hey, hey, give him a chance!" said Sail Link. "Go ahead, sir."

"Ooh, hoo hoo! My sweet, sweet, sweet daughter! My only daughter! Poor Maggie... She was captured by a bunch of villains and taken to the Forsaken Fortress!"

Both boys exchanged nervous glances to each other.

"Didn't we find two other girls in that jail cell with my sister?" whispered Sail Link, making sure that his question was out of the man's line of hearing.

"Yeah, we did," confirmed Time Link, also whispering.

"Oh... Whoops," said Sail Link, ending the quiet discussion.

"What on earth could those scoundrels want with her? Are they just roaming around looking for young maidens?" cried the old man.

Sail Link quickly mouthed "Yes they are," to Time Link, who made an O with his lips in false awe.

"Well crud! Having a kidnapped daughter doesn't get you a single Rupee, you know..." said the old man.

Abruptly, Time Link guided Sail Link away from the man. "Yeah that does stink, doesn't it!" Time Link called out to the old man. "Listen, if we find her, we'll get her back to you!"

"Oh!" shouted the old man, slightly perplexed. "Well... Um... Thanks!"

When they were far away from the man, Sail Link jerked his arm out of Time Link's grip.

"What's the big idea!? That man had lost his daughter!" Sail Link shouted.

"Exactly! And he couldn't care less! Didn't you hear him?! He only wanted her back for Rupees! That isn't despair. That's greed," seethed Time Link. "We will rescue her, but mark my words, once he gets her back, he'll forget we exist. Or worse, if he ends up rich, he'll treat us like garbage."

"That's really bold of you to jump to that claim," said Sail Link.

"Bold, eh? Interesting way for you to put it. Well, fine then. What do _you_ think about him?" challenged Time Link.

"I wouldn't be too surprised if he forgot about us or treated us like dirt," said Sail Link.

Time Link raised an eyebrow. "That's exactly what I said-"

"But, I want you to think about this. What was he doing?" quizzed Sail Link.

"Ummm, overreacting?" asked Time Link.

"No," said Sail Link.

"Creeping up on us?"

"No."

"Looking extremely poor?"

"No! He was frowning!"

There was silence.

"Your point?" challenged Time Link, with a skeptical look on his face.

Sail Link rolled his eyes and groaned. "My _point_, is this: what if, even if he ends up being a jerk, and with money he doesn't deserve, he smiles through the whole thing?"

"Huh?" asked Time Link, lost.

"If he smiles, it allows me to believe that he's smiling because his daughter is home. Others will tell you it's because he has so much money, or because he enjoys the power he has, but I will continue to believe it's because he has his daughter back. And I will be happy because I will know I played a part in getting his daughter back to him," finished Sail Link.

"That's..." Time Link paused. "...a very interesting way to think about it."

Sail Link smiled brightly. "I hoped you would like it," he said. Then, he began pulling Time Link along, exclaiming "Come on! There is so much more I wanna see!"

* * *

"So you have three pet pigs?" Sail Link asked the buck toothed man.

"That's right, kid! I got a black-splotched pig, too! How often do you see one of those? Not often, chum."

"Why aren't they near you right now?" asked Time Link, not exactly caring, but just striking up conversation.

"I've let 'em ashore to graze over yonder. But the thing is, I can't stop worryin' about the little guys!"

Sail Link nodded in understanding, but when he turned back to Time Link, he noticed that the hero was giving wary glances towards the pigs.

"Hey, take it easy, Time Link!" said Sail Link. "Are you scared that the pigs will hurt you?" joked Sail Link.

"If spending time with cuccos has taught me anything," whispered Time Link, gravely, "it's that you never underestimate small animals."

Sail Link looked at Time Link, completely astounded by the hero's fear, as an awkward silence befell the two boys.

"Why don't we check out this building over here?!" exclaimed Sail Link, yanking Time Link in another random direction.

* * *

When the boys entered the building, the first things that caught their eyes were the blue spheres on the display shelf.

"Are those...?" Sail Link asked in awe.

"Those be bombs!" shouted a third voice. "This be the bomb shop!"

The boys looked around to see nobody. That was, until the owner of the third voice climbed up onto a barrel, and revealed himself to be a very short man. He had his arms crossed, and a pompous look was on his face. Time Link immediately disliked the man.

And if that wasn't enough, the prices of the bombs immediately rubbed Sail Link the wrong way was well.

"Ten thousand rupees for ten bombs?!" shouted Sail Link. "How's a kid like me going to pay for these?!"

The man scowled. "Do you expect me to sell my fine bombs to some boy who has no money?! HAH! I'm done with you! Beat it! Scram!"

Time Link quickly guided Sail Link to the door. "Sorry sir. I tried to tell him not to come, but he wouldn't listen."

"Well tell that brat to stop living in his little world of joy and wake up! We don't need people like him crowding up the shops!"

The two boys left the store, both in less of a good mood than they had been before they entered. But there was no denying that it hit Sail Link harder than Time Link.

When Sail Link began to move ahead towards the main part of town, Time Link held him back.

"Hey, listen, Sail Link. I want you to think about what happened back there, and remember this: In the role of a hero, one has to take many hardships thrown at him," said Time Link.

"I know, I know," moped Sail Link. When he went forward again though, Time Link almost shoved him back

"But being disrespected is _not_ a hardship you're expected to accept," added Time Link, ferocity fueling his statement.

Sail Link looked at Time Link in bafflement, as the hero headed back to the bomb shop.

"What are you doing?" asked the puzzled Sail Link.

Time Link gave Sail Link a mischievous grin and answered, "You'll see."

When they arrived back at the bomb shop, Time Link began to move around it, coming up to a wall with a small ledge. Sail Link watched as Time Link began to sidle along the wall, beckoning him to do the same.

Sail Link nervously sidled along the wall with the hero until they both reached the end. Afterwards, it seemed that they had reached a dead end. That was until Time Link noticed the vines crawling along the back of the bomb shop and grinned.

"Just what I hoped for," said Time Link, as he climbed the vines. Sail Link immediately followed.

When they reached the top, they found a gaping hole in the back of the shop. Time Link smirked, took out his satchel, and began fishing around.

"Just gimme a second," said Time Link. "Ah. Here we go."

He pulled out a cute looking device. It looked like a golden mouse with a black eye-mask.

"Looks harmless doesn't it?" said Time Link. "Well that's where you're wrong. This is a Bombchu, and it's about to give this salesman a rude awakening."

Time Link scraped the Bombchu against the wall, lighting up its tail, and set it in front of the gaping hole. The Bombchu zipped into the entrance.

That's when Time Link returned his attention to Sail Link and shouted, "RUN!"

And run they did.

So, when they entered the main part of the island, the two boys shared grins with each other whenever any merchant or islander questioned why smoke was coming out of the bomb shop.

* * *

"...She is so saucy, isn't she! I can't believe she's a schoolteacher!" said the woman in blue.

The boys had just left the house of Tila, a wealthy man who lived in a wealthy house. His daughter was kidnapped, and he promised the boys a ransom for her safe return. They agreed, though Time Link had no care for any ransom. Besides, the man's true colors were revealed when Sail Link accidentally broke one of his several priceless vases.

The boys were silently strolling around the island when they encountered two women, possibly in their sixties or seventies, gossiping about another woman living on the island. Needless to say, the two boys were curious about the gossip; Time Link more so than Sail Link.

"Neither can I!" scoffed the other woman, wearing an orange skirt and gray shirt. "Rumor has it she has mountains of tacky pendants and earrings. It's as if she loves nothing in the world more than jewelry!"

Suddenly, the woman in blue turned to sneer at the two boys. Taken by surprise, the boys jumped.

"Now, just WHAT are you doing?" interrogated the disgusted woman. "Were you two listening to us, you scamps?"

"Scamps?" replied the two kids, one because he didn't know the meaning of the word, the other because he knew the meaning oh too well.

"You listen, young men!" continued the pompous lady. "I haven't seen you two around, so I guess you boys are new to Windfall... but don't you know it's bad to eavesdrop on conversations meant only for adult ears?"

Time Link's eyebrows furrowed at that remark. They didn't know anything. Nobody on this stinking island knew. That thought made his blood start to heat up.

"We're discussing... very, VERY important topics that kids just wouldn't understand. You're far too young to be listening to us, young man! So shoo!"

For Sail Link, that was the moment the mood of the area changed dramatically.

Time Link's entire face flooded with red. Multiple veins in his now red hands were visible. His mouth was shut, his lips hiding clenched teeth. His eyes were sharp needles, pointed dangerously at the two pompous women.

For most people, like the two women who were now completely silent, Time Link's gaze did nothing but spread fear to the ones that it was directed towards. But for Sail Link, it gave him a bunch of questions.

Why was he angry? How did he manage to express that anger without having to use his voice? How come it worked so well? What did the Hero of Time to go through to obtain such a fierce, silencing stare?

"You consider talking dirt about another woman, let alone your neighbor, VERY important?" quietly interrogated Time Link. "Revolting."

The two women gasped, horrified at the insult that the little child spat out. But he wasn't finished.

"That child over there?" continued the hero, pointing to Sail Link. "He lost his sister yesterday, and left his only home to find her."

"And me?" said Time Link, pointing to himself. "I lost my parents before I even knew how to cry. I got bullied and abused for nine years. NINE YEARS of feeling worthless and alone, before I got out of there. And do you know what?"

Time Link paused, his glare at the two ladies growing worse. He whispered, making sure the islander didn't hear a word.

"After what happened when I finally got out, I wanted nothing but to go back. Now THAT is important."

"Come on, Sail Link," Time Link suddenly called, starting to walk away again. "Let's go."

Sail Link quickly darted his eyes back and forth between the ladies and Time Link, before finally following the quiet child.

The two gossipy ladies were quiet for a long time when the two mysterious boys left their field of view.

* * *

"Welcome!" greeted the smiling young woman.

Now, the two boys found themselves in a coffee shop they had stumbled upon.

Sail Link, obviously too young to drink coffee, eyed the coffee kegs with worry. Interestingly enough, Time Link's frown lifted ever so slightly at the sight of coffee.

"Oh my! You're both very small customers, aren't you! Well, that's fine, of course. You just feel free to look around!" said the lady, warmly.

The two replied respectfully with "Thanks!" and "Thank you, ma'am."

The only other occupant in the shop was a short man occupying a table near the corner of the room, looking extremely uptight and worried.

"Is everything alright, mister?" asked Sail Link, walking up to the man. The man immediately jolted.

"Alright? Alright?! Absolutely not! It's anything but alright!" rambled the man in fear.

"What seems to be the problem?" asked Time Link, joining Sail Link at the table.

"It's awful!" wailed the man. "Lately, I've been hearing that monsters from the Forsaken Fortress have been going around kidnapping girls with long ears."

The boys cringed, knowing how true those rumors were.

"Yeah, we heard about Maggie and Mila being kidnapped," said Sail Link. "Their fathers are in shambles," he continued, a statement that made Time Link roll his eyes. They most certainly weren't.

"Poor Maggie and Mila..." said the man. "It breaks my heart to think about those two."

Time Link and Sail Link took a step back when the man suddenly wailed.

"What kind of world has this become?! So much fear and suffering!" he screamed.

"We will get them back," exclaimed Sail Link abruptly, before swiftly turning to Time Link. "Won't we?"

"Y-Yes. Of course we will get them back," replied Time Link, quickly agreeing. It was the right thing to do after all.

"Oh thank goodness," replied the man, pulling them both into a huge hug that neither were too excited about. "Thank you so much!"

"You're crazy," shouted the woman at the counter to the man. "They're too young! They'd get killed!"

The kids, having escaped from the man's grip, turned around and pulled out their swords. Time Link gave a stern look to the woman, while Sail Link looked at her with a smug expression.

The woman's eyes popped. "Where did you get those?! Not from those rowdy sailors, I hope!"

"Rowdy sailors?" responded the boys, not knowing what she was talking about.

The woman sighed in relief, "Oh good, you're not friends with them," she said before suddenly turning serious. "When night falls around here, this place fills up with all these sour, swarthy sailors. They rile up the man at the corner of this shop, and leave a mess, and are all around disrespectful."

The two boys openly groaned, taking the woman and the man aback.

"Is there anybody on this island who isn't a complete jerk?!" shouted Sail Link, startling the woman.

"So far, we've met two snotty little girls, a pompous bomb owner, a moody boy sitting on a set of stairs, an annoying old man, a stuck up rich man, and two two-faced gossip talkers!" Time Link listed, making the man panic.

The woman frowned. "That's all you see in this island, eh?"

"YES!" shouted the two frustrated children.

The woman was silent a second before chuckling. "Well that's a shame. Maybe if the schoolteacher succeeds in that project of hers, you'll be able to see more good in this place than bad. I dunno how much it'll affect the island at night though," she said, shuddering. This made the boys give each other worried glances.

"I guess what I'm trying to tell you two," said the woman, "is that this town has two faces: the nice, pretty one you see in the day and the darker, shadier one you see at night."

"That isn't too heavy a concept for a youngster like yourselves, is it?" asked the woman, sincerely.

Sail Link took a couple seconds to retrieve his voice after the confusing message. "Ummm... N-no, I don't think so."

Time Link smiled warmly. "Not at all ma'am. We appreciate you telling us this."

The woman beamed. "Why, aren't you two the most well mannered boys I have ever had the pleasure of talking to?! Tell you what, I can't give you coffee on the house, considering the youth if your taste buds, but we did just get a new supply of milk! How about a glass of milk for both of you? It's on me!"

Sail Link watched curiously as Time Link's cheeks reddened ever so slightly.

"Yes please," they both replied.

* * *

"Alright, fun's fun, but we have to knuckle down and find that sail," said Time Link, not noticing when Sail Link's eyes began to droop.

"Ye-yeah... sounds good," mumbled Sail Link, as he began to fall.

Like lightning, Time Link caught Sail Link in his arms. "Oh dear. Sorry kid, but it's back to the boat with you."

Time Link had to drag the reluctant Sail Link back to the King, who gave the two a puzzled look.

"Fatigue finally caught up to the poor guy. Thought I should bring him back here for a nap," Time Link explained.

"I'm not-... I'mnottired," mumbled the islander.

"Calm down, little guy," soothed Time Link. "You've had a crazy day. You need rest."

"No," pouted Sail Link.

Time Link silently grumbled, but then a thought came to mind.

Sail Link watched in a daze as Time Link pulled out the peculiar instrument from before, and played a different tune. The tone was just as sweet as before, but the melody was... Different... It's was more calming... More soothing... More peaceful... More...

* * *

The child was out like a light.

Time Link smirked, as he put the Ocarina of Time back in his satchel.

"Well done, Time Link. Brilliant thinking on your part," congratulated the King.

Time Link bashfully rubbed the back of his head once again. "Nah, not really. I actually had no idea that Zelda's Lullaby could work like that."

"My daughter is full of surprises," replied the boat.

"You don't mind that I still don't entirely trust you on that title of yours?" said Time Link.

"If the only part you don't trust about me is my identity, then I do not mind in the least."

"Understood," said Time Link. "I'll go find that sail for you now."

"Thank you, Time Link," said the King, as Time Link went back to town.

* * *

Of all the things that Time Link didn't expect to find when he entered the island's jail cell, what he found was at the top of the list.

Or more specifically, _who_ he found.

"Hmmmmmm! I see the same green clothes and the same green hat! By the look of you, I'd say... Sir! Could you, by chance, be... a fairy?

Time Link put a hand to his face, cursing under his breath. Even when he was far away from that cursed world that he refused to mention the name of, he couldn't get away from Tingle.

"Goodness!" squealed Tingle, making Time Link cringe. "Did you feel my telepathy?! That's why you saved me, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Do not worry! Tingle knows without you telling him, sir! Yes, sir!"

_Why has everybody been calling me "sir" lately?!_ shouted Time Link's mind.

"Tingle is my name! I have been looking for you and your kind, for I, too, long to be one of the fairy folk!"

_So do I, Tingle,_ thought Time Link. _So do I..._

"And yet, I was mistaken for some kind of troublemaker and put into this dreadful sort of place! Please, Mr. Fairy... Rescue poor Tingle from this place!" pleaded Tingle.

Time Link sighed and quickly let Tingle out of the jail cell. He may be annoying, but Time Link knew he wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Hoorayyyy!" shouted Tingle, jumping up and down. "Thank you oh so VERRRY much!"

"Don't mention it," said Time Link, unsure if he meant to be nice or rude with that statement.

"Oh, Mr. Fairy! You want to come to my island, don't you? Don't you?"

_This guy has an ISLAND?!_ thought Time Link.

A parchment was then shoved into Time Link's field of vision.

"It's my Tingle chart!" said Tingle. "Take it! Take it! Take it!"

Time Link took the chart, opened it up, and stared.

The whole thing was drawn out in crayon. CRAYON. This guy was even worse than the original Tingle!

"Uhhhhhh... Thanks," said Time Link.

"If you ever need any help with your charts, just leave it to Tingle! Don't ever forget it!" said Tingle. "Oh... And I saw a mystical box hidden in the back of this cell! You should check it out sometime!"

"I'll try to remember," Time Link mumbled, getting worn out by Tingle's babbling.

"Bye bye! Bye bye!" exclaimed Tingle, finally exiting.

Time Link let out a huge sigh of annoyance, and left the cell to continue his search.

* * *

"So... How did you end up here exactly?" asked Time Link to the short man covered in winter clothing on a summer day.

"My story is a strange one... I came across cursed seas from a land far away... A lame where the blizzards blow violently... Heading for this town called Windfall. But dear me! As I traveled, a terrible storm descended and tore my ship to bits... Yet mysteriously, only _that_ escaped without so much as a mark on it..."

Time Link perked up. He had a pretty good idea of what _that_ was.

"From the looks of you, I would say you are a traveler as well!"

Time Link smiled. "That's correct sir."

"...Could you please purchase _that_ from me? It is my one and only heirloom from home. The people of this town do not seem the least bit interested in _that_, despite the fact that it would help them travel the dangerous seas about their town-"

"Name your price," said Time Link, desperate to get _that_ and help the man out.

"Ummmm..." said the surprised man. "How does... 80 Rupees sound?"

Time Link winced. "Too low." He then placed a giant Rupee bag on the counter. "How about 800?"

The man's eyes popped. "Wha- I- You- Yes, yes yes! Thank you very much, indeed! I can use these funds to finance my new business! Oh, dear me, what a happy day! Well, young man, as I promised, please take _that_!"

And, just as Time Link had hoped, _that_ was a boat sail.

* * *

When Sail Link awoke, the sail was in the final stages of being hoisted.

"Perfect timing, Sail Link," said Time Link. "We're about to depart."

"Wh-Where?" snorted Sail Link.

"Wherever the wind takes us!" bellowed the King of Red Lions.

"So, east," said Time Link bluntly, finishing the sail.

"Correct," said the King, chuckling. "Oh, um, before we depart, may I have a word with you, Time Link?"

"Yes, sir," answered Time Link.

"My daughter tells me you rode on a beautiful creature."

("Wait, your Majesty, you have a daughter?!" said Sail Link)

This statement gave Time Link pause. "Yes, sir. I did."

"I also heard you have a song to call her?"

"Yes, sir."

The King smirked. "If you don't mind, may I hear this song of yours?"

Time Link looked at the King, perplexed, but took out the peculiar instrument once again.

"What is that thing?" asked Sail Link.

Time Link chuckled. "This, my friend, is one of my most cherished belongings. The Ocarina of Time."

Sail Link tilted his head. "The what?"

"The Ocarina of Time," repeated Time Link. "This beauty has helped me out on countless occasions. I am certain it'll be able to help you out on your quest as well."

Time Link brought the Ocarina of Time to his lips, and began to blow into it.

This song gave Sail Link a warm feeling, almost like being on a farm. Sail Link felt a pang of home sickness, but he shoved it down, knowing that his sister came first.

When the song was over, Time Link gently lowered the instrument and carefully put it away. Sail Link realized he was fascinated by the instrument. It always seemed to put him and Time Link at ease. He'd have to ask Time Link to play songs on it simply for fun from time to time.

"Now then," said Time Link, his thoughts focusing back to the task at hand. "May I ask why you wanted me to play that, your Highness?"

The King chuckled. "Calm now, Time Link. Give her a minute."

"Her?" wondered Time Link aloud.

Suddenly, Sail Link's ears picked up a far off call. "Ummm... What was that?"

Scouting ahead, he saw a huge beast sprinting on the water straight for them.

"Guys, look out! Something's coming! It's a..! It's a..."

Sail Link's eyes widened. "It's a _horse_?!"

Sure enough, Sail Link was staring at a horse. Yet another creature he had only heard of in the legends.

Time Link was in awe. The horse was standing on the water, as if it was solid ground. The horse was made out of wood, and on closer inspection, Time Link saw that it was the same wood the King was made of. But its most noticeable quality was the wood's color. It was a red-orange tinge, mostly, with a dash of black and whitish-tan at the bottom of each leg, and a white mane decorating the top.

"No way," said Time Link. "Epona?"

The horse whinnied in response, and nuzzled its head at Time Link.

Time Link's face lit up as he petted the wooden creature. "Hey there girl! It's great to see you!"

"My apologies for its wooden appearance," said the King. "There wasn't any other way to bring her here."

"It's fine sir," said Time Link, growing a huge smile. He mounted the creature with ease, as Sail Link gawked.

"Your ride is so much better than mine," moped Sail Link, earning a slight grumble from the King.

Time Link only smirked, and said, "Ah shut it, kid. I earned this. HYAH!"

And with that, Time Link and the horse took off to the east. The King laughed at this exchange while Sail Link pouted.

But then, Sail Link gave the King a look of mischief.

The King smirked. "What's on your mind, my boy?"

"Why don't we make this a race?" said Sail Link, his grin widening.

The King nodded. "I do believe that is what they want."

Sail Link turned is gaze to the Great Sea. "Well then that's what they're gonna get! SET SAIL!"

**AN: AND IT BEGINS! Whew! I'm glad I finally got this on paper- um code, whatever! So you're probably wondering why not much was done in windfall island. Well, my friends, I'm putting them off until every thing that can be done in windfall island becomes available to our heroes. Sounds silly, right? Yeah, kind of, but I'm doing it anyway! So, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It was fun to make. Catch you later!**


	5. Chapter 5: Aiding Those in Need

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: Okay, no more fooling around. I need to really focus on characterizing Time Link mostly, because let's be honest, he's a toughie. If anything contradicts parts of the stories of Sail or Time, or even my own, please let me know. I want this story to be as flawless as I can make it. Here we go!**

* * *

Sail Link wasn't going to lie, this was amazing.

The sky was a bright blue, the winds were commanding but gentle, and there wasn't a single jagged rock formation to threaten the woodwork of the newly acquired boat. Sail Link couldn't withhold a giggle of glee as he looked upwards to the seagulls that had accompanied both sides of his new vessel, gliding flawlessly along with him as he coursed through the waters of the Great Sea. Without a doubt, the Great Sea was created for those who wished to sail on it.

His major dream had come true. He was sailing through the open seas towards wherever the wind took him, with a sword and shield in hand, and without anybody telling him what, and what not, to do. Whatever this Ganondorf was planning, Sail Link was confident in stopping him, and getting his little sister back.

Time Link wasn't as ecstatic as Sail Link was, to course through uncharted territory, since that always meant the possibility of a surprise attack. Sail Link pointed out multiple times that there was absolutely nothing around them, but Time Link would always respond with silence.

That wasn't to say Time Link wasn't enjoying himself. On the contrary, he was having a very fun time. In this vast new unknown world, it was absolutely necessary for the boy to rely on anything relatable to his previous location in order to calm down. With that being said, Epona was the perfect candidate.

There was no doubt, this wooden horse held Epona's spirit. At first, the fact unnerved Time Link, but since Epona was showing no signs of fear or discomfort, Time Link came to the conclusion that the real body of Epona was safe, wherever it was.

Time Link momentarily closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. For one blissful moment, Time Link was at peace. Whether the peace was genuine or forced, Time Link didn't know. But he didn't care either.

"I see an island just ahead of us!" shouted Sail Link.

Time Link jolted, being yanked out of his thoughts. He stared ahead to see that the young boy was most certainly right. There was an island within view of the two adventurers. And it was _huge_.

"Right you are, Sail Link!" declared the King. "That is our destination. Dragon Roost Island!"

The island was decorated with three decently sized pillars of rock, which Sail Link could only describe as spikes with their sharp points sliced off. While there were three pillars that were decent in size, one similarly shaped rock structure was much, MUCH bigger.

The gigantic variation of the flat-spiked rocks had two more details to help it stand out, each one noticed by a different adventurer.

For Time Link, he winced at the smoke ring surrounding the area just below the top of the slanted rock tower. It was dark, foreboding, and it looked way too much like the smokey ring surrounding Death Mountain...

For Sail Link, his eyes bulged when he looked at the very top of the rock tower, to discover yet another creature he only dreamed of meeting. Sitting at the top of the tall and rocky structure, was a giant... red...

"DRAGON!" screamed Sail Link in excitement.

Time Link looked further up, to have a similar reaction to Sail Link's, just not as positive.

"Oh dear goddesses no," said Time Link, his pupils contracting as his heart began to pound.

"Do not fear, Time Link. Lord Valoo is harmless," said the King, reassuringly.

Only seconds after the King's comforting words, the dragon moaned in rage, making the entire island shake, along with the boat and horse. Time Link immediately shot a dirty look towards the King, while the King of Red Lions was frozen at the sudden outburst of the dragon.

"Is that how he says 'hello'?" asked Sail Link, growing nervous at the expressions of the King and the hero.

"Definitely not," replied the King, making Sail Link's posture slump, and Time Link's countenance harden.

When they all reached ashore, Sail Link leaped out of the boat, dire to explore, while Time Link gently got off Epona and petted her, saying to her warmly, "There's a good girl."

"High atop this island's peak," began the King, before Sail Link could venture off, "lives the spirit of the skies... a great dragon by the name of Valoo."

Time Link observed Sail Link excitingly dance around in place, before turning back to the King like nothing ever happened. Time Link quickly turned back to look at the King as well.

"As much as this Valoo is helping to cheer Sail Link up, I don't see how we are involved with all of this," said Time Link, hoping to get to the point.

"You must go see this dragon and request from him a jewel called Din's Pearl," answered the King, making Time Link's eyes widen with the name of the pearl's owner.

Sail Link halted his study of the ground to look up. He immediately gulped at the height of the island, and looked back at the King with a face of uncertainty. "Ummm... How are we supposed to... get up to Valoo?"

"I suggest you ask the people of the Rito tribe who inhabit this island about how to see the dragon," replied the King.

Time Link nodded, and turned to follow Sail Link, who was already moving ahead. Time Link silently thanked the goddesses for the boy's energy. With this quest, Sail Link will eventually need it, thought Time Link.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Sail Link, wait just a moment!" blurted the King. Sail Link groaned with a child's impatience, and walked back to the boat.

Time Link rose one eyebrow, his eyes never leaving the King. "What exactly did you forget?"

The King smiled. "Don't worry, Time Link. The young boy is going to love this."

Time Link stared intensely at the King, his legs rooted to the ground. Once again, Time Link found himself moving his line of sight to the young islander-turned-sailor.

Already, Time Link could tell that the child's eyes were beginning to show signs of a brave warrior. It was a bittersweet thing for Time Link to see, knowing that although the mind of a warrior is beneficial, it is extremely difficult, once you obtain it, to return to your previous way of life.

Yet, interestingly enough, Time Link noticed something else about Sail Link. Sail Link's eyes, while growing in adventure and survival, hadn't lost their youthful appearance either. Both had found a way to shine in the same pair of eyes, which left Time Link in awe.

It was the non wavering youth of Sail Link's eyes that made Time Link come to a decision, returning to the King.

"Alright then. Let's see it," Time Link said, finally.

The King nodded, then turned his head around to the inside of the boat to pick something out of it. He then quickly turned around, with a thin silver object in his mouth. He gently dropped it into Sail Link's hands, who immediately made a fade of disgust, before remembering that wooden dragon heads did not contain slobber in their mouths.

"This, my boy, is the Wind Waker!" announced the King, his voice holding much respect towards the object in Sail Link's hands. "It is a baton of sorts that was used long ago when the people played music in prayer to the gods. In those days, simply using it allowed one to borrow the power of the gods."

The two boys looked at the silver twig-like object skeptically, before looking at each other with looks of bafflement.

"I don't know if it still works..." added the King, weakly.

"Even so," quickly continued the King, "I thought it might be of some use to you. Perhaps you should try to use it.

Sail Link slowly turned to Time Link, silently asking for permission. Time Link shrugged, stating, "You might as well. The only thing you'd be breaking is the pride of a boat," earning himself a "hmph" from the King.

Sail Link smiled at the hero's wise crack. _Maybe it won't be as difficult to cheer him up as I thought it would be, _hoped Sail Link, as he brought the silver object up, almost like a sword, but much more gently.

"First, conduct 3/4 time!" said the King.

Sail Link was about to ask what the heck conducting meant when-

A surge of energy coursed through the child's body. It felt warm, elegant, and fierce. And suddenly, Sail Link's arms just began moving.

The King and Time Link looked at Sail Link in amazement as the child flawlessly conducted with the baton, as if he had conducted with the object throughout his entire life. When he was finished, Sail Link looked at the silver object with complete awe, while Time Link practically gawked.

"That was splendid!" said the King, shaking himself out if his own stupor the quickest. "Now, have a go at 4/4 time."

Once again, Sail Link conducted with the Wind Waker without messing up once. After he finished, Time Link gave him a round of applause, which made the kid blush.

"That was not bad for your first time using the Wind Waker! Not bad at all!" said the King, making Sail Link chuckle in embarrassment.

"Try to be careful with this object, Sail Link," Time Link quickly warned. "By using this baton, you're borrowing the power of gods for all we know."

"I'll do my best, sir," said Sail Link, his grin never leaving his face.

Time Link patted Sail Link on the back before turning back to the King. "Well, we must be off. With that dragon upset, our amount of time has drastically shortened."

"Indeed," said the King. "Be careful, you two."

"We will," exclaimed the two adventurers, before heading off.

* * *

Only to be stopped by a massive boulder a couple yards away, blocking the path they had to take to climb the island.

"Well, now what?" exclaimed Sail Link with minor worry.

"Don't panic. Just think," commanded Time Link, looking around for a solution. Seconds later, Time Link's eyes caught a spherical blue object hiding in the grass.

"Yes," Time Link quietly cheered, asking Sail Link to follow him as he approached the object.

"This is a bomb plant," said Time Link, teaching Sail Link. "We can use them to blow up any boulders in our way. They're dangerous if you aren't quick and careful, so be sure to-"

But Sail Link had already pulled the bomb plant out of the ground and chose to interrupt Time Link by asking, "Why is it flashing red?"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET AWAY FROM THAT!" Time Link shouted in panic, successfully prying the bulging bomb out of Sail Link's hands, and chucking it away. It exploded half a second later with a tremendous **"BOOM!"** that shook the entire landscape.

"As I was saying, you have to be CAREFUL when you use bomb plants," said Time Link, glaring at the reckless kid.

"Sorry, sir," whimpered Sail Link, shrinking away from Time Link's disappointed gaze.

"Can I trust you to be careful next time?" asked Time Link, earning a nod from the other boy. "Wonderful. Don't let something like that happen again," he said, turning back to use a bomb plant to blow up the boulder that was blocking their path.

Sail Link simply followed, amazed at how the little boy was a better disciplinary teacher than any adult he has ever met. Heck, he wouldn't be surprised if Orca ever asks to be trained under Time Link's command. Simply astounding.

* * *

"I never really allowed you to finish," said Sail Link all of a sudden, as the two were sidling along a narrow edge on the wall.

"Finish what?" asked the hero, sidling in a much more calm manner than Sail Link.

"You never got to finish telling me where you came from. Back at the Forsaken Fortress," indulged Sail Link.

"Ah yes. I suppose you deserve to know a little more," said Time Link. "As you know, I come from Hyrule. However, I was raised by the Kokiri, infinitely youthful children that live in the forest. So even though I come from Hyrule, I tend to have more memories about the forest."

"Bad memories?" asked Sail Link, remembering the hero's silent fury at Windfall Island.

Time Link chuckled. "I was being a little too negative when I made that comment. Sure, Mido was a jerk, but after my first quest, he and I finally had a good talk and now he and I are pals. We quarrel from time to time, but now it's all in good taste."

"Mido? Who's that?" asked Sail Link.

"Right, you don't know him. Sorry," said Time Link quickly. "Mido is the self proclaimed leader of the Kokiri tribe that I was rased in. He was quite the snot nosed brat until Sar-"

Time Link's voice caught in his throat for a split second.

"S-Saria talked some sense into him," Time Link finished.

"Another self proclaimed leader?" guessed Sail Link, as the two reached the end of the narrow path.

"No. She was the first friend I ever had," said Time Link in a melancholic voice.

"Did she... disappear from your life?" asked Sail Link, feeling bad for giving Time Link this sudden sadness.

"Not at all," the hero quietly admitted. "I disappeared from her's."

* * *

The rest of the journey up the island was done in silence. Finally, they reached what seemed to be the Rito civilization. And right in front of them was...

"Quill!" shouted Sail Link, getting the feathered postman's attention.

"Link? Link, is that you?" exclaimed Quill, recognizing the young boy's face. "It is! I'm pleased to see you're okay!"

Sail Link rushed up to give the postman a big hug, which the postman gladly returned.

"I must say," said Quill, setting the kid down in front of him, "You've traveled far for one with no wings."

"I got here by boat," said Sail Link quickly with pride.

"I see," said Quill. "And your sister? Is she..."

Sail Link looked down glumly at that question.

"Oh," said Quill, much more quiet than before. "We'll, don't worry too much. I'm sure she'll hang in there."

Sail Link gave a slow nod. Quill nodded in satisfaction before noticing a second child appear from the same path that Sail Link emerged from.

Quill's face became serious. "Link, is that a friend of yours? After I told you how dangerous your adventure could get, the last thing you should've done is put a friend's life in danger-"

"Relax, mister," said Time Link, putting a hand up to silence the postman. "I assure you I have more than enough experience to take care of myself."

"He's right, sir!" said the islander, excitedly. "He's awesome at everything!"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," said Time Link sheepishly.

"Who is this man?" Quill asked Sail Link.

"I'd rather talk about all of this inside," said Sail Link, noticing the buildings behind Quill.

Quill suddenly nodded. "Of course. I must mention this to our chieftain. He will definitely wish to meet you once I tell him. Oh dear oh dear oh dear..."

"Something the matter?" asked Time Link. "Is it about Valoo?"

"Oh most certainly," admitted Quill. "But that, also, shall be discussed indoors. Meet me there. I'll be waiting." He then took off, flying towards the village.

The boys gave each other a nod, and headed towards the village entrance.

* * *

When the duo entered the main hut, they found five Ritos in the center. One was clad in red, two were behind the first, one was in the air, talking to the one in red, and the final one was Quill.

"Well?" demanded the Rito in red. "Have you discovered the cause of the great Valoo's anger?"

"No, sir!" replied the flying Rito. "We haven't found a single clue!"

"Keep looking!" commanded the red Rito. "Time is of the essence!"

"Yes, sir!" shouted the flying Rito, flying upwards and out of the hut.

The two boys took this opportunity to walk towards the center, getting the attention of the four remaining Ritos.

"Ah. So you are Link, are you?" asked the Rito in red, presumably the chieftain, to Sail Link. "Quill has told me all about you. I insist that you let us know if there is anything we can do to help you."

"Thank you sir," said Sail Link, before adding, "actually, I go by 'Sail Link' for now."

"Do you now?" said the chieftain, intrigued. "And why is that?"

"Link and I share the same name, sir," said Time Link, walking up next to Sail Link. "We gave each other nicknames, since Sail Link thought things would get confusing," he continued, looking at Sail Link in a deadpan manner.

"Oh hush," said Sail Link.

"Because of that, I now go by the name of 'Time Link'," informed Time Link.

At that statement, all four of the Ritos' eyes widened.

"You mean to say..." whispered the chieftain in awe.

Time Link sighed. "Yes, sir. I am Link, the Bearer of the Triforce of Courage, and the Hero of Time," he admitted. He held up his now-glowing left hand at the Ritos, to prove it.

The Ritos gasped, and Time Link heard whispers all around him.

"Is it really him?"

"No way! I thought he was a legend!"

"Can he help us?"

"Settle down everyone!" said the chieftain, quickly regaining his composure. "I'm sure Time Link does not enjoy being recognized like that!"

"Thank you sir," said Time Link, "You are most certainly right."

"We overheard that you guys are having some trouble with the dragon, Valoo?" asked Sail Link, hoping to get back on topic.

"That is correct," said the chieftain, gravely. "Quill, if you would."

"Yes, sir," said Quill, clearing his throat. "What we are dealing with has never happened before. We of the Rito are connected to the sky. We make our livings on the airways. We do so by the graces of the sky spirit, Valoo."

Time Link's face suddenly glowed with a look of recognition. "You all are so similar to the Zoras..." he whispered.

"Huh?" asked Sail Link, quietly.

"Nothing," responded Time Link, silently.

"When a Rito reaches adulthood," continued Quill, "he or she journeys to the top of Dragon Roost to receive a scale from the great dragon. It is this scale that enables the Rito to grow his or her wings."

_The similarities are uncanny,_ thought Time Link. _If what Sail Link says is true, and Hyrule is gone, how far off in the future am I? And how the heck am I a legend? Nobody remembered me after both of my adventures. Unless- _

"You mean he isn't usually this crazy?" asked Sail Link, jolting Time Link out of his thoughts once again.

The chieftain shook his head. "This is a new occurrence. Valoo has never grown so violent and unpredictable. We can no longer approach him."

"If this continues," worried the chieftain, "the fledglings who are of age will never be able to receive scales from Valoo on Dragon Roost. They will remain wingless, and in time, our very way of life will be threatened."

This made Sail Link shudder and Time Link wince. So this was really serious.

As chieftain of the Rito," said the chieftain, "my first responsibility is to solve this problem. My apologies, but I must ask you two to wait for our assistance until this is done. Will you do so?"

The two boys once again gazed at each other and nodded. It was becoming routine for them to silently look for confirmation from the other.

Quill turned to look at the chieftain. "Chieftain, what do you think of consulting these brave boys with Prince Komali? Surely he would listen to the Hero of Time."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do what I can" said Time Link. "And _don't_ call me the Hero of Time," he added, sternly.

"Yes, sir," said Quill, the use of "sir" quickly changing Time Link's attitude from fierce to sheepish.

"Names aside, these two boys are gallant young lads!" Quill exclaimed to the chieftain, making Sail Link sheepish as well. "Like I said, I feel certain that Prince Komali would open his heart to them and speak freely of his fears and worries."

"That may be..." the chieftain whispered, before turning back to the boys. Louder in volume, he stated, "Let me be direct. My son, Komali, is of the age to earn his wings. Yet... he is weak, in some ways... and in light of the current situation, he may just give up on ever getting them..."

"We'll do what we can to help him," said Sail Link, bravely.

"Right," agreed Time Link. "We both will make it a high priority to help Prince Komali."

The chieftain grinned. "Sail Link, Time Link, I thank you both! We shall do our best to solve our problem as quickly as possible, so that we may better help you with yours."

The two boys nodded in understanding.

"I have something I wish for you to give to my son," said the chieftain. "A young girl named Medli is holding it for me. Would you find her and take it?"

"Yes, sir," said the boys, bowing to the chieftain.

"Many thanks to you," said the chieftain. "I'm counting on you both!"

As the chieftain walked off, Quill got Sail Link's attention. "Here, Sail Link. Take this with you."

Sail Link gave Quill a baffled look as a weird looking delivery bag was put in his hands.

Time Link laughed, patting Sail Link on the head and ruffling his hair. "Who knows? It might come in handy," said the hero.

"Thanks," said Sail Link, half heartedly.

"Anyway, where could we find Medli?" Time Link asked Quill.

"You should find her in one of the upper rooms," answered Quill.

"Gotcha," said Time Link, pulling Sail Link with him as he took off for the stairs. "Come along, Sail Link."

"Fiiiiiiiinnnnneeeee," moaned Sail Link, allowing himself to be dragged along by the hero.

* * *

"Well, now!" exclaimed the Rito at the mail counter. "I've not seen your young faces before. Nope. Don't believe so."

"Wow, you look so much like the postma-" Time Link stopped himself, instead saying, "Hello. I'm Time Link, and this is Sail Link."

"Hi!" said Sail Link, waving enthusiastically.

"Hmm?" said the Rito Postman. "You wouldn't be here in response to our posting for some part-time help, would you?

Time Link froze before saying, "Ssssssssuuuuurrreee why not?"

"Ooh, excellent," cheered the Rito Postman. "That's good. But first, to see if I can use you or not, I need to give you a little test. Just a small one."

"I'm listening," said Time Link, as Sail Link watched the discussion in awe.

"Match the seal on the envelope with the same icon on the shelf," said the Rito Postman, indicating as he went along, "and throw the letter onto the shelf. Real easy. Simple."

Time Link nodded, smirking. "Got it."

"You have to sort at least ten letters!" said the Rito Postman.

In the short time limit, Time Link nailed 100 correct letter placements. Sail Link's jaw dropped.

"Amazing!" shouted the Rito Postman. "Seriously, I'm stupefied! Incredulous! We veterans do this all day long, and even we have a hard time reaching that amount! I've got to give you more money! Got to! Three rupees per letter comes to 300 Rupees. How's that sound?!"

"Sounds good to me," said Time Link, nodding smugly.

The Rito Postman quickly handed a golden Rupee to the hero. "You said your name is 'Time Link,' right?"

"Yes, sir," answered Time Link.

"In that case, I should have expected you to be able to pull off something like this," said the Rito Postman. "Come back anytime. I mean it. Anytime. The more letters you sort, the more you'll earn! Not a bad deal! For both of us!"

"I'll think about it," said Time Link, smiling as he left the counter. "Don't fall behind, Sail Link."

Sail Link, previously rooted to the floor, picked up the pace to catch up to Time Link, pleading for him to reveal whatever secrets he was hiding. Time Link only chuckled.

* * *

When the boys finally went to the room Medli was in, a girl with red eyes, white skin, a golden harp, and a peculiar beak in place if a nose, was waiting for them just past the room's entrance.

"Wow! You two have matching green clothes! Just like the Hero of Time!" said the girl. "Although... one of you has long white pants and the other's legs are bare..."

Time Link yelped, mortified. "You can't just say that out of the blue, Princess Rut- *cough* *cough* I mean, ma'am!" Time Link corrected himself, now completely embarrassed.

"You're Sail Link, right?" asked the girl, ignoring the flustered hero.

"Yep. That's me," said Sail Link, smiling. "And the adventurer next to me is the hero himself, Time Link!"

"Pleased to meet you both!" said the girl.

"Same goes for you!" said Sail Link. "Who are you?"

"Oh, me? I'm an attendant to the great sky spirit, Valoo," the girl said. "My name is Medli."

"Attendant to Valoo, huh?" said Time Link. "Quite the accomplishment."

"Well, to tell the truth..." Medli added, embarrassed, "I'm not an attendant quite yet. I'm actually still studying to be one."

"I see," said Time Link, quietly thinking about how Medli's humble demeanor was so different from the stubborn strong-willed attitude of a certain princess...

"Oh, what am I thinking?" blurted Medli. "Here, Sail Link and Time Link! This is from the chieftain. He wants you to give this directly to Prince Komali."

Sail Link nodded, and was given a letter from the chieftain, for Prince Komali.

Sail Link smiled, turning over to Time Link. "Hey! I could use the delivery bag to carry this letter down to Komali!"

Time Link smiled. "I told you that thing would come in handy."

"The room way in the back on the first floor is Prince Komali's room," said Medli. "You have to go down a couple steps to get there."

The two got ready to head out when Medli suddenly shouted, "WAIT!"

The startled boys turned back to look at her, her burst of confidence quickly vanishing.

"Ummmmm," mumbled the nervous Medli, "When you meet Prince Komali, please don't get offended by his manner. He has no bad intentions, I promise."

She quickly walked up to the duo. "By the way, ummmm... Listen, Sail Link... Time Link... I have a small favor I'd like to ask of you two..."

Sail Link blushed, while Time Link tried very hard not to bolt out of the room. Their reactions quickly faded when they actually heard Medli's request.

"C-could you please come to the entrance of Dragon Roost Cavern later?" requested Medli, her nerves doing a number on her. "I-I'll explain everything then."

"Yes, ma'am," said the two boys, now getting ready to leave.

When Sail Link left, Time Link turned back to look at Medli, smirking.

"What? What is it?" said Medli, panicking.

"You know, if you have any feelings for Komali, you should probably tell him," said Time Link, slyly.

"Wha- I- What's that supposed to mean?!" squawked the embarrassed Rito, her white face now completely red.

"It's just some food for thought," said Time Link, heading towards the exit. "So long, for now."

Medli blushed, cursing herself for making it so noticeable...

* * *

When they entered the prince's room, the two boys found Prince Komali on his bed, holding a huge spherical object, glowing orange.

"Huh?!" said the Rito Prince, noticing the two kids in green. "Who are you kids supposed to be?"

"Time Link and Sail Link, at your service," said Time Link, as Sail Link nodded.

"What do you two want from me, huh?" said Komali, ignoring Time Link's answer. "I... I don't want to talk to anyone right now!"

"Sir, if we could have just a minute-" began Time Link.

"We'll I won't give you a minute!" shouted the Prince, scaring Sail Link. "I'm in a bad mood, and I said I don't want to talk to anyone right now! And that includes both of you! Go away!"

"Time Link, let's go," said Sail Link, worried. "We can try again later-"

"Stay exactly where you are," demanded Time Link.

"Yes, sir!" Sail Link quickly shouted.

Time Link turned his gaze back at Prince Komali. "So, you're in a bad mood..."

Sail Link watched as Time Link pulled out the mystical Ocarina of Time and smirked.

"Wow, I never thought I'd have to use this tune again," Time Link said to himself. He began to blow into the instrument.

The melody was HOT. Sail Link couldn't describe it any other way. The beat was hot. The melody was hot. The rhythm was hot. It was a hot song.

And apparently Prince Komali thought the same thing, because he leapt out of his bed and started dancing his heart out, a huge open grin on his face.

"YAHOOOO!" cheered Prince Komali, jumping up and down. "THIS SONG IS HOT! I LOVE IT! YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The song ended soon after, with Prince Komali gasping for air, and in a much better mood than before.

"Wow..." said Prince Komali. "That song *whew* was something else. I really needed that. I feel much better."

"Glad to hear it," said Time Link. "That song is always well received."

"I'm so sorry for how I was treating you both," said Komali. "What is the reason for you two being here?"

Sail Link quickly rushed up to Komali, putting the letter in his hands. "Message for you, sir!"

"A letter?" said a curious Komali, taking the parchment and sitting back onto the bed. "From my father?"

Time Link and Sail Link waited for Komali to finish reading the letter. Once he did, Komali looked back at them, and frowned.

"Listen, I thank you guys for cheering me up, but bravery is a whole different story. Sure, telling me to be brave is easy enough for my father... I mean, he already got his scale, but he didn't go though the horrible experience of losing his grandmother."

The boys' eyes widened, this part of the tale being untold to them until now.

"Funny," said Komali, "both of you are in this letter too..."

He gave the kids a half hearted glare. "Heh... poking your nose in other people's business... You're both nosy, aren't you?"

Time Link chuckled as he joined Komali by sitting next to him on the bed. "It's one of the things we do best."

Komali quietly chuckled. "Well, I'm terribly sorry guys, but I can't go see Valoo. As pleasant as this good mood is, I fear it won't last long enough. Unless you can use that instrument to tame a dragon, I fear the worst if I try to get a scale from him when he's so upset."

Sail Link cleared his throat loudly at Prince Komali's statement, making the two other kids look at him.

"You know..." said Sail Link, "we could always..."

"Are you trying to say that WE should calm Valoo down?" asked Time Link, appalled.

"Wha- me? Of couuuuurrrrssseeee not!" said Sail Link "What I'm saying is a big fat lie! It's easy for me to SAY we can do anything! Bragging doesn't mean a thing!"

There was a big pause. Not a word was spoken by anybody.

"...yes," admitted Sail Link.

Komali laughed, "I like your confidence. I'll tell you what: if you can get past all the obstacles on Dragon Roost to get to Valoo, then I'll do, and listen to, anything you say!"

"Consider it done," said Time Link, starting to have an itch for adventure. "Come along, Sail Link. We should meet up with Medli."

"I'll catch up," said Sail Link. "I wanna ask Prince Komali a couple more things."

"Very well," said Time Link, heading out the door. "Don't dawdle for too long though," he added, and shut the door.

"So, Komali," said Sail Link, taking Time Link's spot on the bed, "Can I ask what you're holding onto right now?"

"Huh? Oh, this?" said Komali, showing Sail Link the glowing sphere.

"That's it," answered Sail Link, with a grin.

"It's strange," admitted Komali. "Holding this calms me down. I forget all the bad things."

"Cooooool," said Sail Link, making Komali smile.

"It's pretty, isn't it? It's called Din's Pearl. My grandma gave it to me."

"Oh. I see why you like it so much," said Sail Link, in understanding.

Komali nodded. "She used to be Valoo's attendant. She was the only person on the island who understood Valoo's language."

"That's amazing," said Sail Link aloud, when a previous conversation came to mind.

"Hey, Prince Komali?"

"Yes, Sail Link?"

"What do you think about Medli?"

The question took Komali completely by surprise, making him drop the pearl, only for it to be immediately saved by Sail Link.

"M-Medli?! She- She's great! There's nothing wrong with her!" said Komali, almost rambling, as he snatched Din's Pearl back into his hands. He suddenly panicked. "There _isn't_ anything wrong with her, is there?"

Sail Link giggled. "Nope! She couldn't be any healthier." He then leaned over to whisper into Komali's right ear. "Although... I overheard a conversation between Time Link and Medli. He asked a similar question about what she thought about you, and her reaction was, more or less, the same as yours."

Komali blushed, his eyes now wide open. "R-Really?!"

"Uh huh!" said Sail Link. "Now, I want you to think about what I said. And in the meantime, Time Link and I are gonna go save this island!"

"O-okay! Okay! I'll think about it!" said Komali, lightheaded over the new information.

"Good! See ya!" said Sail Link, running out the door.

* * *

"'Hoy! I'm up here!" called Sail Link, down to Time Link and Medli.

Time Link looked up to see Sail Link, and shouted, "There you are! Get down here! The air is too hot up there!"

Sail Link leapt down to meet Time Link and Medli at the bottom of the Cave entrance.

"Hey, you both actually came!" said Medli, happily. "I'm really sorry for bringing you two to such a dangerous place. I had to! I wouldn't have asked if I didn't need help desperately."

"Don't worry about it," said Time Link. "Just tell us what you need us for."

Medli cleared her throat. "You see this place?"

Time Link and Sail Link looked around to see a puddle of water, covered by a huge boulder.

"There used to be a spring here, surrounded by a beautiful pond," explained Medli. "It was peaceful and lovely... But then the great Valoo... He became so angry, and... In his rage, he shook the mountain and this boulder crashed down, plugging the spring."

"Oh, but where is my mind?" said Medli. "Tell me, how was Prince Komali"

The young islander tried his hardest not to giggle.

"He's doing juuuussst fine," said Sail Link, cheekily.

"Oh thank goodness," said Medli, taking no notice of the boy's smirk. "I may have been partially to blame for the bad turn that Prince Komali took..."

"If this has anything to do with his grandma being the former attendant," said Sail Link, "I'm certain Komali isn't blaming you for anything."

"It isn't him, it's me," said Medli. "I'm not yet worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as her. If only I'd possessed some of her strength, I'm sure Prince Komali would have felt more secure."

"Sail Link, Time Link, I'm sorry to ask this... but I need your help!" shouted Medli.

"You only had to ask," said Time Link, Sail Link nodding in agreement.

Medli smiled, before continuing. "I want to go to the small shrine that's near the peak of Dragon Roost, but that's near the peak of Dragon Roost, but that ledge over there is so high... If I could get some wind under my wings, I'm sure I could get up there. So... Will you help me?"

"Yes," said Sail Link and Time Link, without second thought.

"Whew," said Medli, relieved. "Thank you both so much!"

Medli then walked up to Time Link. "OK, pick me up."

_Oh Goddesses, here we go again,_ thought Time Link, as he hoisted Medli up onto his shoulders.

"Okay, I need you to face that ledge and toss me!" said Medli, pointing to the top of the ledge.

"Sail Link!" said Time Link "Pay close attention to the wind! When it's blowing in the right direction, give a holler!"

"Yes, sir!" shouted Sail Link, as Time Link ran to position.

"Thank you so much, Time Link," said Medli. "After this, I'll be able to climb Dragon Roost and meet with the great Valoo."

"Glad we could help!" called Sail Link.

"Time Link, once I enter," said Medli, "could you and Sail Link look after Prince Komali? Keep him in a good mood. Otherwise he could jump in after me."

"Right," said Time Link.

Medli suddenly put an empty bottle in Time Link's hands.

"This is all I have to give you," said Medli. "I know it's not much but-"

"Miss, you have no idea how handy these things can be," said Time Link, smiling. "Seeing as I have several, I shall give this one to Sail Link. He'll come to adore it sooner or later."

"Well... thank you," said Medli, shyly. "Please don't tell anyone that I'm climbing Dragon Roost. It'll be our secret, okay?"

"Okay, Medli. You sure you'll be alright?" asked Time Link.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" said Medli. "I may be just an apprentice attendant, but I can understand some of the great Valoo's language. I'm not exactly bursting with confidence, but I'm still useful!"

"I don't have any doubts, Medli," said Time Link, finally in position.

"Well, Good Luck!" said Medli.

But then Time Link overheard a whisper from Medli that changed his thoughts on the entire plan. Something he wasn't supposed to hear:

"...To both of us..."

"The wind is blowing in the right direction!" shouted Sail Link. "Throw her now!"

On impulse, soon to be followed by panic, Time Link threw Medli towards the high ledge. And as soon as she landed, she was gone.

"Oh no... What have I done..." said Time Link aloud. "Sail Link!"

"Yes, sir?" responded Sail Link.

"We're going in after her! No 'buts' from you, because she is putting herself in immense danger!"

"I know!" said Sail Link, surprising Time Link.

"Huh?" said the hero.

"You thought I was just going to sit here?!" said Sail Link. "No way! My sister's in trouble! The sooner saving this island can be done, the better. Come on! We gotta find a way up to that ledge!"

Time Link quickly surveyed his surroundings.

_Boulder._

_Shriveled up bomb plants._

_Water too far away from the bomb plants._

_Empty Bottle._

_Bingo._

* * *

"You're a genius!" cheered Sail Link as they swam up to the ledge.

"I appreciate the compliment," said Time Link. "But if you weren't able to make that connection yourself, you have a lot to learn if you want to save your sister."

"Awwwwwwww," sulked Sail Link.

"Hush," said Time Link. "You're making a big deal out of nothing."

They approached a river of lava, and two statues on opposite walls.

"Now, pay attention to what's around you," said Time Link. "How do we get over this lava river?"

Sail Link took in everything around him.

_Hmmmmm..._

_So, there is a floor of lava that I can't cross..._

_Weirdly shaped statues... Useless to use to get across..._

_They look like they could be removed from the wall with enough power..._

_...What is it they're holding?_

_...Stone cups or something?_

_The gaps in the cups look big enough to hold a bomb..._

_I wonder why these bomb plants are here..._

Then, it all made sense.

_Floor of lava._

_Removable statues._

_Bomb containers held by statues._

_Bomb plants._

_Got it!_

"Throw the bomb plants at the cups held by the statues!" shouted Sail Link.

Time Link smirked. "Well, I guess you're a genius now."

"Oh shut up," said Sail Link, giggling.

* * *

After crossing the lava floor, an invisible wave of heat went through Time Link, bringing him to his knees.

"Sir!" shouted Sail Link, running over to the hero. "You okay?!"

"Yeah. I'm fine," said Time Link

_No. I'm not fine at all,_ thought Time Link.

He didn't have his Goron tunic with him. Even if he did, he wouldn't fit in it. Termina's fire didn't count, because apparantly fire in Termina wasn't as deadly. But this... this was the real world...

He had to be there for Sail Link... He had to...

Time Link got up on his feet. "Let's go. Medli needs us."

"Y-Yes, sir," said Sail Link, following Time Link into what could be certain doom.

**AN: Let the first dungeon begin...**


	6. Chapter 6: A Parasite in the Cavern

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: Alright, time for another chapte- huh? There is almost NO spoken dialogue in the actual game during this chapter? I have to make almost all of the dialogue up myself and still hope I keep everything intact? Oh dear...**

**Quick heads up, not all things that define a LoZ dungeon will be in this story, so be prepared. Also, if it wasn't clear already, I'm really nervous about this chapter :S**

**(gulp)**

**Well, here goes nothing!**

* * *

Time Link felt a surge of heat course through his body, the moment he and Sail Link entered Dragon Roost Cavern.

Time Link snapped his eyes shut, doing his best to ignore the sudden sweat on his forehead. His clothed body was already making him uncomfortable, and he felt his posture begin to slump already. Time Link silently cursed. The fact that the air outside was polluted with smoke and ash, and that a dragon lied on top of the cavern, should have given him enough evidence to realize that maybe the Dragon Roost Cavern would contain intense heat throughout its structure.

But he couldn't afford to go down. Sail Link still needed him as a temporary leader. He wasn't about to give that up.

The unaware Sail Link was already observing three huge head busts in front of the duo, figuring out how to get past them.

"The one on the right has more moss than the other two," Sail Link informed Time Link from afar. "Maybe the other two statues are movable!"

"Give it a shot!" replied Time Link, trying his hardest to keep his deep breaths to a minimum.

Sail Link was correct. He moved the two fake statues with little difficulty, to reveal an open passage.

Unfortunately, on the other side, two snarling Bokoblins were waiting for the boys. And they looked hungry.

Time Link kept his distance, doing his best to hide the effects the cavern was having on him. He was actually faring quite well, considering. He used to only last for a wimpy two minutes before the effects became deadly. But here he was, at 3 minutes, with only mild discomfort. But how long would he truly last?

Sail Link, unlike the hero, immediately drew out his sword, lunging at the disgusting creatures. He whaled on whichever Bokoblin was close to him, making sure to somersault around and counter, whenever a Bokoblin got a chance to swing. At a humorous moment, he made one of the Bokoblins so frustrated, it accidentally hit its own partner. The partner tumbled along the stone floor, like a little pig that was chucked down a hill. When the first Bokoblin turned its head to see what damage it had done to its partner, Sail Link finished him off for good, spinning around once and connecting his sword with the right side of the monster's chest. The monster went airborne, colliding unceremoniously against the opposite wall, and sliding down to the floor.

The two enemies vanished with a poof of black smoke, as Time Link stiffly walked up to the islander.

"You're improving with your sword, but you still have lots to learn," said Time Link, his voice becoming more and more breathy. "Remind me to give you some training later point in your quest."

"Yes, sir!" said Sail Link, smiling. "I wouldn't dream of giving up any moment to train with you!"

Time Link smiled weakly. "Alright then. Lead the way."

Sail Link sheathed his sword, and the two carried on, the islander blissfully unaware of the cavern's continuous rise in heat, and its effects on the hero.

* * *

After a wooden barricade was taken down by Sail Link's trusty sword, the cavern's heat was fully revealed. There was lava on the ground, Keese on fire, and geysers made entirely out of fire and brimstone.

Time Link's vision blurred. What he thought he had under control was quickly slipping away from him. This was all happening way too fast. They needed to find some water in this goddesses forsaken cavern. He cursed the world for not blessing him with the garments that Sail Link was wearing.

"We have to get to that bridge!" shouted Sail Link, pointing towards a rickety bridge. Of course, the only thing keeping the boys from getting to the bridge was a pit flowing with a pool of lava.

"*cough* Let's not-*cough cough* waste time, then!" wheezed Time Link. He remained silent as he desperately tried to catch up with Sail Link, who had already figured out how to get towards the bridge, by carefully treading a suspended wooden ledge to the left, leaping over any gaps in the ledge.

Sail Link was in top form, wiping away any Keese that approached him as he crossed the bridge. But when he finally made it to the other side, he turned around, to take notice of the decrease in Time Link's energy, as the hero weakly approached the bridge.

"Come on!" said Sail Link, a little frantically. "You said it yourself! Medli could be in danger!"

Time Link's eyes widened as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Ignoring the pounding in his head, he ran across the bridge, and onto the other side.

Unfortunately for Time Link, once the boys had both made it safely across the bridge, an enormous fire geyser erupted right next to the rock formation that the kids were standing on. Sail Link was only startled, but Time Link's head began to spin. He held back the urge to throw up, as his breathing became painful, almost like the air he was trying to breathe refused to enter his lungs.

"Time Link?!" called out Sail Link. "You okay?!"

Time Link could do nothing but clasp his head with both of his hands, until the geyser subsided. Only then, was he able to speak.

"Don't worry about me," lied Time Link. "I'll be alright."

Sail Link acknowledged Time Link for a couple seconds, before continuing along the path, using a bomb plant to remove a boulder that was blocking the door to the next room.

* * *

But by the next room, Time Link's body was through.

The hero's vision went completely black, as he slumped to the ground, almost like his muscles were suddenly removed from the rest of his body. His head was pounding like a drum, his limbs were refusing to move, and his lungs were refusing to cooperate. With each second that passed, Time Link was slipping from consciousness.

Sail Link panicked. "SIR!" he screamed, only seconds ago turning around to see the Hero of Time crumpled up on the ground. He ran to pick the hero up, but immediately yanked his hands away. Time Link's body was scorching hot.

"Wa-..." Time Link wheezed, his eyes beginning to roll to the back of his head.

"'Wah?!'" shouted Sail Link, his panic making it difficult for him to think straight. "'Wah' what?!"

Sail Link quickly stopped, remembering to just think.

"Water!" exclaimed Sail Link. "You need water!"

"Po..." moaned Time Link, his throat closing up more and more.

"'Po'? You mean 'Potion'?" asked Sail Link, confused and frightened. "But you said you needed water!"

"B-Bo..." painfully whispered Time Link.

"'Bo'?!... BOTH!" shouted Sail Link, finally understanding.

Sail Link darted around the room, slashing all vases, in hopes of finding water. When one recently broken vase splashed water all over Sail Link's face, he picked up the pace, looking for a similarly designed vase. It didn't take him long to find a second vase of water; the new room was packed with them.

Sail Link's brain was processing a hundred things at once, as he set the second vase full of water next to Time Link, and opened Time Link's satchel, desperately searching for the hero's bottles. He found eight in total: four empty, and four filled with red potion. He hastily poured red potion into the empty bottles, so that all eight bottles had half an amount of red potion in them. Afterwards, Sail Link picked up the water vase, frantically poured water into the eight bottles, and shook each bottle like a madman. Finally, Sail Link gently opened the hero's mouth, and stuffed one of the bottles into Time Link's mouth, the hero immediately downing the new mixture of water and red potion.

Time Link's bodily functions snapped back on, making him lurch up and forward from his original sprawled position, and he spit out the now empty bottle. But the second his vision had cleared, it suddenly went white. Time Link panicked, thinking the water potion had failed, but when his vision returned, Time Link realized he had been slapped in the face.

As soon as Time Link recovered from the slap, the air was forced out of Time Link's lungs and through his mouth, when Sail Link brought him in for a hug that could've put the Gorons to shame.

"For Gods' sake, Time Link!" wailed Sail Link. "Whenever you're in trouble, you have to let me know! Don't leave me in the dark!"

"I didn't want you to worry," Time Link said defensively, wheezing from the hug.

"WELL I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO DIE!" screamed Sail Link, his eyes watering ever so slightly.

Time Link was rendered silent. All this time, he had forced himself to worry that Sail Link only valued him for his status. Looking back now, he hated himself for being so stupid.

Time Link hugged Sail Link back, squeezing gently, for fear of hurting the islander.

"I'm so sorry," said Time Link, sincerity flowing with every word he spoke. "I should've known better than to keep it to myself."

"You can say that again," said Sail Link, his relief of his friend being alive forcing the islander to make an unnecessary joke as he wiped his eyes.

Thankfully, Time Link smiled. "Kid, you have heart. You have so much to learn, but you have character. Build on that, and you will be an extraordinary person one day."

"Time Link?"

"Yes?"

"*sniff* I'm happy you're alive, and I always value your lessons, but you wouldn't mind if we skipped the lessons for now, would you?" said Sail Link, worry building in his voice. "Because we still have a girl to save!"

Time Link's face paled. "Y-yes! Of course! Right!" he stated, getting back up on his feet and lifting Sail Link back up as well.

They began to move again, but not until Sail Link added, "And for the love of all that lives in and on the Great Sea, let me know when that first bottle of potion stops working!"

Time Link smirked. "You'll be the first to know."

* * *

"Good thinking!" said Time Link, congratulating Sail Link after the youngster used a newly lit torch to burn down a sturdy wooden barricade.

"Thank you sir!" said Sail Link, proud of himself for figuring it all out on his own. He quickly jumped onto the pressure plate just ahead of the burnt barricade, raising the bars of a door next to Time Link. Time Link waited for Sail Link to join him at the unlocked door and opened it up to reveal pure blue skies.

"We did it!" shouted Sail Link. "We made it past all the obstacles!"

Unfortunately, Sail Link spoke a little too soon, as the boys were attacked by a Bokoblin from the right, and two horrifying birdlike monsters from above. Time Link quickly pulled out a weird looking magnifying glass, and put it away with lightning speed, to Sail Link's confusion.

"Kid, I'm afraid we still have a long way to go," said Time Link, unsheathing his sword.

Before Sail Link could even shout in surprise, Time Link effortlessly spun his sword around all three monsters, as swift as could be, making them all meet their end before anybody could say otherwise. Being outside the cavern gave Time Link all of his energy back, and being able to use it was quite refreshing.

"Woah..." said Sail Link. "You're amazing, Time Link!"

Time Link chuckled nervously, sheathing his sword. "I don't usually see my swordplay that way, but I appreciate the fact that you think so."

"What the heck were those... bird things?" Sail Link wondered aloud.

"Kagarocs, according to what the Lens of Truth told me," Time Link quickly answered.

"The len sewing what?" asked Sail Link, extremely confused.

Time Link laughed, pulling out the weird magnifying glass from earlier. "Sorry. Forgot nobody knows what that is. This little object is the Lens of Truth. It gives me details on monsters and shows what is, and isn't, truly around me; like walls that are fake, and treasure chests that are invisible. I use the Lens of Truth on monsters, but only for their names. I'd rather figure out their weakness on my own."

"Wow," said Sail Link, having to take in a lot of information. "That's incredible."

"Well, I guess one perk about being an adventurer," said Time Link, as he put the Lens of Truth back in his satchel and smirked, "Is that you're allowed to brag about the new toys you get."

Time Link and Sail Link continued to trek the mountain by climbing ladders and sidling along narrow paths, being sure to avoid the two fire geysers that spewed from the rocky walls of the island. One blown up boulder later, and the boys were back inside the cavern.

* * *

"Perfect," said Time Link, opening up a wooden chest to reveal a shiny new compass and a map of the cavern.

"These are going to make this cavern a lot less confusing," said the hero, after taking the dungeon-necessities out of their box.

"How?" asked Sail Link, taking the map when Time Link handed it to him.

"Without a map and compass, it is very easy to get lost in places like Dragon Roost Cavern. And I'm telling you right now, if you ever get lost in any of those kinds of places, that's basically it for you and your journey," Time Link said, completely serious. "So be very careful with that map. The cavern could easily burn it."

"Yes, sir," immediately responded Sail Link, the importance of the map dawning on him. "But... that doesn't really explain the compass. I mean, I have never learned to use any kind of compass properly, have you?"

Time Link cheekily smirked, his eyes practically twinkling. "Oh, I almost never use a compass for navigation. I use it for treasure."

* * *

"Goddesses, I hate Keese!" groaned Time Link.

Time Link and Sail Link had stumbled across a dark room with a lone torch at its entrance. Going down the room's narrow path, with Sail Link using a newly lit stick he had found next to the torch, they ended up in a room that was swarming with at least five Keese.

This colony of Keese was considerably more annoying than others, since this one led both of the kids back into the narrow path, making the swinging of a sword close to impossible. The Keese would fly around aimlessly and attack, once the boys were worn out. Then, the buggers would retreat back to the ceiling, their beady eyes always watching the boys as their annoyance increased.

Sail Link, finally having enough, took a different approach. Having decided he was done being afraid of the dark when he was six, Sail Link chucked his only light source at one of the Keese. It screamed, exploding with a puff of smoke. One hit was all it took.

Sail Link quickly vanquished the remaining Keese using the same method. They were all gone within ten seconds.

Time Link stared at Sail Link, bug eyed, as the islander brushed himself off and continued forward.

"How many arrows did I waste on those goddesses forsaken..." Time Link cursed, following Sail Link as he approached a closed treasure chest.

Sail Link opened the chest, anticipation swelling within him. Heart pounding with excitement, the young islander reached into the shiny chest to find...

A piece of jewelry.

A piece of jewelry... shaped like a pink butterfly.

"What the heck is this thing?!" Sail Link said in bewilderment, pulling the weird trinket out of the chest, as though it was a dangling piranha. "And why do the monsters have it?!"

"You got me there," said Time Link, taking a moment to think about what they were supposed to do with this... thing.

"Ah, what the heck. Keep it. Someone else might want it," said Time Link, not knowing what else to do with it.

"Ummmm, alright, whatever you say," said Sail Link, giving Time Link a weird look before stuffing the weird jewelry piece into his Spoils Bag.

Then, the boys quickly lit up two torches, to open the exit, and they left the room of Keese and butterfly jewelry.

A humongous fire geyser erupted near the boys when they entered the next area, and Time Link noticed that his vision was beginning to blur once again.

"Sail Link! Give me a second! I need to drink my second bottle!" Time Link called out, already reaching into his satchel.

"Yes, sir!" responded Sail Link, pausing as he waited for Time Link to finish the second water potion out of eight.

"How long do you think the first one lasted?" asked Sail Link.

Wiping his mouth clean, Time Link thought about the length of time, finally answering, "About fifteen minutes or so."

Sail Link gasped. "We only have 105 minutes to get you out of here!"

Time Link went rigid. "And as far as we know, we only have seconds to save Medli!"

The boys screamed, rushing past the bridge and into the next room.

* * *

"Out of our way!" shouted Time Link as the boys destroyed the resting area of a group of Bokoblins.

"Hurry hurry HURRY!" screamed Sail Link in the next room, chucking a water jar at a geyser to get to a ledge above them.

"This way!" hollered Time Link, blowing up a boulder in the next room to reveal the exit.

Finally, the boys made it back outside, to find themselves at the top of the island.

* * *

"Yes! We finally made it!" shouted Sail Link.

"Medli could still be in trouble!" shouted Time Link, refusing to give himself the chance to rest. "Keep moving!"

"Right!" said Sail Link, the duo rushing for a set of worn out stone-slab stairs to their right.

"AAA!" screeched Sail Link in fright, looking behind him as he climbed. "The stairs are crumbling behind us!"

Time Link's heartbeat quickened at the news. "For goddesses' sake, don't slow down!" Time Link frantically commanded. "Keep climbing! Climb every other step!"

Sail Link did just that, and skipped every other step to give himself some much needed speed.

The boys quickly made it to the top without a scratch, but the path they took crumbled to the sea far below, never to be seen again.

Seconds later, a dragon's moan bellowed through the kids' ears.

"MEDLI!" shouted the boys to each other in fright, picking up speed as they sprinted past the open gate in front of them. And thankfully, just ahead of them, was the girl they had been panicking over since they entered the cavern. She was unharmed. However...

* * *

Medli, though safe, was captured. She was in a barred off section of the mountaintop, and it was being guarded by two nasty Bokoblins, colored exactly like the Bokoblin that was defeated, with two swords, at Forsaken Fortress.

For the poor Bokoblins, the last image they ever saw before their final battle was this:

Two angry boys, drawing out their respective swords, giving the Bokoblins two distinct looks. For Sail Link, it was a look of bravery and determination; the face of a boy anxious to stay alive and save those he cares about. For Time Link, it was a calm look, but it only showed in the structure of his face. His jaw wasn't clenched. His mouth showed no traces of a scowl or a sneer. His nose wasn't curled up in a snarling fashion. But his eyes were completely different. They blazed with fury. They pulsed with endless experience with a sword. They spelled out, "Death."

The young, blonde haired adventurers charged at the Bokoblins, swinging their swords with power and precision. To the left, Sail Link was everywhere, backflipping, front-flipping, and somersaulting all around the determined Bokoblin, until it was an easy target. Once the Bokoblin was dizzy enough, Sail Link took the monster out with three upswings and an aerial downward slash. To the right, Time Link was standing exactly in one spot, parrying every single attack the second Bokoblin made, making the creature's pride slowly break, little by little. Once the Bokoblin was flustered enough, Time Link let out a bloodcurdling battle cry, reducing the rest of the monster's courage to rubble. One horizontal slice to the belly brought the Bokoblin to its knees. One single stab to the head ended its life.

Then, a Kagaroc dropped a Moblin on the top of the island. As Sail Link was panting from his quick maneuvers, the Moblin tried to get the jump on Time Link.

It didn't work.

Time Link disarmed the buff monster with one upward slice. The terrified Moblin's weapon flew out of its hands and away from its reach. Using the Moblin's moment of disbelief to his advantage, Time Link used his shield to bop the Moblin right in the face, making it temporarily blind. Time Link immediately grabbed the Moblin's forehead with only one hand, and slammed the creature's head down to the ground, knocking the monster out cold. Its life was soon ended by a fatal stab to the back. Only then, did the three creatures disappear with a puff of smoke.

* * *

Sail Link was trying to open Medli's cell when the bars lifted on their own, making Sail Link squeak in surprise. Medli slowly left her cell, almost in a daze, as Time Link rushed over to the duo. Walking up to Medli, Time Link's caring eyes met with Medli's shaking eyes as he asked with concern, "Are you okay, Medli?"

The question made Medli immediately break. She latched onto Time Link, as if doing so was the only thing keeping her alive, and she openly sobbed into the hero's tunic. She quickly let go of Time Link to do the same to Sail Link, her tears still flowing. When her crying finally subsided, both of the boys' faces were as red as tomatoes.

"*sniff* You both came to rescue me!" said Medli, still weeping. "Oh, thank you!"

"I-It was nothing," said the boys in unison, scratching the back of their own heads. Medli simply giggled at the boys' humorous actions.

"I have to tell you what I found out!" said Medli, all of a sudden very serious. "This is terrible!"

"What's going on?!" asked Time Link, concern in his voice.

"We'll take care of it!" shouted Sail Link, drawing out his sword, only to put it away after receiving a look from Time Link.

"...Some creature is doing awful things to the great Valoo's tail!" Medli shouted with worry. "That's why he's so angry!"

"A monster harming a creature that a race depends on to live?!" said Sail Link, frightened. "That's awful!"

Suddenly, the island shook as Valoo pounded his fists into the ground, roaring in what was now revealed not to be anger, but pain.

"The great Valoo's tail hangs down into the room below here," informed Medli. "There's got to be something in there..."

"What monster is mean enough to do such a thing to such an important creature?!" shouted Sail Link in anger.

Time Link got ready to tell Sail Link that he didn't know, and that the only way to find out was to confront the beast, when a memory emerged within Time Link's head. And with that memory, Time Link's eyes narrowed.

"Gohma..."

"Huh?" said Medli.

"Gohma," Time Link growled. "That wretched parasite cursed and killed the Great Deku Tree, an entity that looked over the land I was raised in. And now that thing is here..."

"You mean thee creature could KILL VALOO?!" squawked Medli in terror. "We've got to do something! Now! Before it's too late!"

Time Link unsheathed his sword and looked back at Sail Link. "Draw your sword. We're going to kill this monster."

"Y-yes, sir," Sail Link quickly agreed, unnerved by Time Link's sudden anger.

"I'll go and tell everyone what's happening!" said Medli, desperate to do something to help.

"Good," said Time Link. "With Gohma trying to take over the island, we need you as far away as possible. I never should have let you go in the first place..."

Medli's face dropped at that remark. "I just... wanted to help..."

Sail Link immediately rushed over to Medli, giving Time Link a dirty look of his own. It actually made Time Link halt for a couple seconds.

"He didn't mean it like that. He was really worried about you," Sail Link soothed. "You were awesome! Nobody else would've figured out why Valoo was truly angry. You just saved the future of the Rito!"

"No I didn't," whimpered Medli. "I only figured out why Valoo is upset. That doesn't mean I can stop it."

Sail Link gently lifted her chin up, so they saw eye to eye, making Medli blush, in spite of herself.

"You don't have to," said Sail Link, cheerfully and gently. "You have us."

"Doesn't she?" said Sail Link, directing the question to Time Link.

"Wha- Yeah! Yeah," rambled Time Link, before completely shaking himself out of his frozen state. "*ahem* Yes. He's right, Medli. You can count on us. Now, go ahead and tell the rest of the Ritos what you have found out. They need to know this."

Medli gave off the biggest smile the boys had seen yet. "Thank you, Sail Link! Thank you, Time Link! Thank you both so much!"

"You're welcome!" declared Sail Link.

"Anytime," said Time Link, scratching the back of his head again.

"Here!" Medli suddenly shouted, reaching into a little satchel she was carrying. "Use these to get out if here!"

A grappling hook was tossed into the hands of Sail Link, and another was tossed into the hands of Time Link.

"Komali and I used to use these to get around before we got wings," Medli explained. "I don't need mine anymore, and soon, Komali won't need his. So now, they're yours!"

"Thanks!" said the boys, cheerfully.

"You'll be careful, right?" asked Time Link, concerned.

"Quit worrying about me!" shouted Medli, making Time Link flinch, to Sail Link's humor. "Get going!"

"See ya soon!" shouted Sail Link. "And that's a promise!"

Medli smiled, waving farewell one last time. There was a flapping of wings, and she was gone.

"So," said Sail Link, turning to Time Link. "Wanna tell me how I use one of these things?"

Realizing that Sail Link meant how to use a grappling hook, Time Link chuckled nervously. "I, uhhhhhh... I have never used a grappling hook before..."

Sail Link gulped. "Uh oh..."

* * *

It actually didn't take too long for the boys to get a hang of their new grappling hooks, with Sail Link only messing up three times, and Time Link only messing up once.

"Looks like we could snatch ourselves some goodies with these grappling hooks as well," Sail Link commented, once they both had made it across the final perch before heading back inside the cavern.

"Pardon?" asked Time Link, distracted from the nerves he had felt while soaring over steep heights with only a rope.

"I'm pretty sure those monsters had some cool treasure on them," said Sail Link, smiling. "If you haven't noticed by now, I always dreamt about being a pirate."

"Ah, I see what you mean," said Time Link, beginning to reminisce. "I can honestly say that I never had those kinds of dreams when I was younger."

"Never?" asked a surprised Sail Link.

"Never," repeated Time Link. "Sure, I wanted to leave the forest and explore the outside world, but that isn't really a dream. Is it?"

"I think so," said Sail Link, as the duo reentered the cavern. "That's pretty strange for you to not consider it a dream of yours."

Time Link remained silent, but his mind responded to Sail Link's remark.

_If your dream came true, and you realized your dream was a nightmare, you wouldn't refer to it as a dream ever again either._

* * *

After crossing a bridge over lava, and defeating two more Bokoblins, Sail Link and Time Link came to a dead end.

"Drat," hissed Time Link. "We need to get to Gohma as quick as possible. We can't afford to encounter any dead ends. I need to think..."

"You know..." pondered Sail Link, noticing a narrow and flat rock formation under the bridge they just crossed, "this bridge is kinda pointless..."

Time Link stared while Sail Link picked up a stick, used a nearby torch to light the stick up, and set the ropes of the bridge on fire. The bridge fell onto the narrow rocky path, giving the boys a way to get down without falling into the lava.

"Well done, Sail Link-" complimented Time Link, before experiencing a third wave of nausea. "Oh dear..."

"Take the third potion," urged Sail Link. "I can wait."

After reaching into his satchel and downing a third bottle of water potion, Time Link shuddered.

"Is it still too bitter?" asked Sail Link, grimacing. "I noticed that quality when you gave me the red potion at the Forsaken Fortress. That stuff is icky, I have no idea how you manage to drink them-"

"No, Sail Link, it isn't the taste that's getting to me," said Time Link. "It's how much time we're losing. I only have 75 minutes worth of these drinks left, and Gohma took a while for me to figure out how to beat her."

Sail Link suddenly paled. "'Her'? You mean this big bug we're talking about is a GIRL?!"

Time Link immediately dead panned. "Oh, you better not be telling me-"

"I can't hit a girl!" said Sail Link, losing his courage. "That isn't right!"

"Aren't boys your age still convinced that girls are kinda gross? Take that idea and multiply it by twenty five. That's Gohma."

_Multiply Gohma by fifty, and you get Twinrova, _said Time Link's head, making him shiver.

"Just trust me," said Time Link. "Once you actually see Gohma, gender won't mean a thing."

"Alright, fine," grumbled Sail Link. "But why did you say the idea of girls being gross belongs to 'boys my age'? You're my age too, aren't you?"

Time Link suddenly went very quiet, and Sail Link worried that he accidentally crossed a line.

Fortunately, Time Link didn't do anything brash. He simply walked past Sail Link, mumbling, "Yes. Yes I am." before leaping off the ledge and down to the floor below them.

"Follow me, Sail Link," called Time Link, not wanting to waste any more time. "We have to stop Gohma."

"Y-Y-Yes, sir," replied Sail Link, wondering what was brewing in his companion's mind to make him so silent.

* * *

"Stand back, sir," requested Sail Link, when the boys encountered a platform being held up by three ropes. "I can take care of this one."

Walking onto the platform, Sail Link unsheathed his sword, silently adoring the sound it made. He then brought his sword as far back as he could, and let out a fierce shout as he spun his sword around him, slicing all three ropes at once. The platform, and Sail Link, plunged down to the lava below.

Time Links heart stopped for a moment. He didn't just- he couldn't have-

Of course he didn't, because then a fire geyser launched Sail Link and the platform back to their previous position, the geyser acting as a support for the platform.

"Come on!" said Sail Link, waving to the hero. "There's plenty of room!"

Time Link chuckled, saying, "I'm coming. Hold your horses," and joining Sail Link on the platform.

When the platform fell a second time, Sail Link shouted, "This way!" and leapt off the platform onto a newly found ledge. Time Link jumped onto the same ledge immediately after Sail Link did.

"What does Gohma look like?" asked Sail Link, as the adventurers hopped from suspended platform to suspended platform.

"She looks like a spider, with one gigantic red eye," answered Time Link, scowling at the image that popped into his head.

"Gross," commented Sail Link. "How did you defeat her?"

Time Link smiled, memories of his trusty tools returning to his mind. "I took her out with my sword, but I had to stun her first. At the time, I had obtained a very sturdy slingshot-"

"You did not," said Sail Link, knowing where the story was heading.

"Yep," said Time Link, chuckling. "Pulled the string back, and hit her right in the eye."

"Ouch!" said Sail Link, laughing. "That must've stung!"

"I like to think that it did," said Time Link, as they encountered another ladder and began to climb.

* * *

"Yahoo!" shouted Sail Link, as he swung on his grappling hook. He had just recently used it to pull a switch that was dangling from the cavern's ceiling, in order to unlock a door behind him and Time Link.

"I'm glad you're having fun," said Time Link, with a hint of a glare, "but I think this third bottle only has four minutes left on it. We need to keep moving."

"Right, sir. Sorry," said Sail Link, detaching his grappling hook and safely returning to the ledge he leapt from.

But beyond the door, there were perches everywhere. A paradise for grappling hooks.

"Yesssss," whispered Sail Link pumping his fists into the air. Time Link, in response, closed his eyes, shook his head, and smiled.

* * *

Once again, the duo was hopping from platform to platform, with a perch at the end to swing from.

"Was Gohma the hardest monster you ever took on?" asked Sail Link, curiously.

Time Link scoffed. "Not a chance," he said, before adding, "however, she was the only monster that won in the end."

"How so?" continued Sail Link, interested in Time Link's past. The more he learnt about him, he felt, the easier it would become to achieve his secondary goal.

"Even though I defeated the creature," said Time Link, "she still managed to end the life of the Great Deku Tree. Almost everyone in Kokiri Forest put the blame on me, saying that it was my fault. At the time, it didn't matter, because the Great Deku Tree gave me the chance to leave the forest immediately. But looking back... I guess their words finally caught up to me..."

At this point, the boys had already swung on the lone perch, so Time Link sat down, drank his forth water potion, and pulled out the Ocarina of Time.

"I'll never forget the face she had on, when she gave this to me..." said the melancholic Time Link.

"Saria gave you the Ocarina of Time?" said Sail Link, guessing who Time Link was referring to.

"No, she didn't..." Time Link quietly answered, shutting his eyes. "She gave me the Fairy Ocarina. It looks exactly like the Ocarina of Time, except it was colored tan and green... I can't remember what I did with it after I got the Ocarina of Time from-" Time Link suddenly stopped, almost debating with himself.

"Huh?" said Sail Link, confused with the hero's sudden silence.

Time Link shook his head and stood up. He walked over to the young islander, taking off the child's hat to ruffle his hair. "Another time, buddy. Another time."

"O-Okay, sir," said Sail Link, before remembering how much time the hero had left. "We should go. We only have 60 minutes now."

"Right," replied Time Link.

The hero hoisted the islander back on his feet, and the two entered through the door in front of them.

* * *

"Magtail on your right!" shouted Time Link.

Sail Link quickly darted to his right, and slashed the long fiery bug's eye. "Thanks, sir!"

Time Link slightly frowned. "You do know, in order to improve, you need to learn to detect enemies without my help, right?"

"Yes, sir," answered Sail Link, solemnly bowing his head.

Time Link smiled. "Very good. Now, help me figure out how to get rid of this ring of fire around this treasure chest."

Time Link walked the islander over to the chest, which was indeed surrounded by blazing fire.

"There isn't any flammable substances to cause the fire. There must be some sort of device underneath the ground using a fume to ignite the fire," answered Sail Link, stunning Time Link.

"How the heck did you figure that out?!" exclaimed the amazed hero.

Sail Link put on a chirpy grin and answered, "The pressure plate, next to the treasure chest, was a dead giveaway."

Time Link turned to his right, in disbelief, to notice a pressure plate that he somehow didn't notice before.

"I'm such an idiot," grumbled Time Link, as he stood on the pressure plate, which made the fire vanish.

"Awww, don't be like that, sir," said Sail Link, reaching into the chest to pull out a big key.

"What the?" said Sail Link, before Time Link took the object out of Sail Link's hands.

"This looks like the key to Gohma's domain," said Time Link, smiling. "We can finally end this."

They both smiled for a short length of time, when the room suddenly got quiet.

Too quiet.

"Hey Sail Link?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you have this feeling that we got this key way too easily?"

As if on cue, the entire room shook, as rocks began to crumble away from the ceiling, and onto the floor. The entire room was trying to bury the kids alive.

"RUN!" shouted Time Link.

* * *

They raced across the suspended platforms and perches, Sail Link no longer finding them as paradise. They ignored the ladder on the way down, Sail Link landing just fine while Time Link emitted a mildly humorous squeak when he landed. Unfortunately, he was in pain, forcing him to use up one of his water potions, reducing his time to 45 minutes. They lept from platform to platform, allowing the geyser from earlier to lift them upwards, as they continued to frantically backtrack.

But then they entered the room with the broken bridge, and they were at a dead end yet again.

"Oh no!" shouted Sail Link, his courage beginning to waver. "How do we get back now!"

"Calm down," said Time Link. "There's always a way."

Sure enough, the boys noticed that there was a geyser in this room as well, and there were two vases full of cold water, just waiting to be tossed into the lava to be used as platforms.

"Try not to spill!" warned Time Link while Sail Link carried a water vase across the broken bridge on top if the narrow path of rock.

"Right!" responded Sail Link, keeping his focus.

As soon as they reached the other side, Sail Link hurled the vase of water at the geyser, the water hardening the lava to form yet another platform. The boys jumped off the platform, and darted out the door to their right. As soon as they left, the entire section of the cavern they were just in, fell apart.

The boys were finally back outside, panting heavily, the voice of the distressed Valoo ringing above them.

"Follow me," said Time Link, spinning his grappling hook as he looked at the row of perches they used to reentered the cavern. "I think I caught a glimpse of Gohma's domain while we were racing to save Medli."

"I won't fall behind, sir," responded Sail Link, the constant dwindle of time starting to worry him.

With the battle with Gohma drawing closer and closer with each step, the boys threw their hooks at the first perch.

* * *

Komali was still silently gazing at his grandma's gift when Medli burst through the door.

"WAH!" squawked Komali, almost dropping the pearl a second time. "M-M-Medli! What are you doing here!?"

"Prince Komali, you have to come with me!" insisted Medli. "If Sail Link and Time Link don't make it, we have to be prepared!"

"Prepared?! For what?! And what's this about Sail Link and Time Link?!" rambled Komali, getting more and more confused and frightened by the second.

"I'll explain later! But right now, I need to know that you will support me when I tell the tribe what is actually going on! I wasn't even supposed to leave this hut, and I ended up going to the top of the island to see Valoo!"

"You did what?!" shouted Komali, his protective side firing up.

"Valoo isn't angry!" Medli suddenly shouted.

Komali paused for a second, in disbelief. "He... He isn't?"

"I was able to understand enough of Valoo's language! He told me that there is something in the cavern that is hurting him!"

Komali's eyes lit up. "Of course!"

"Huh?"

"Medli, the rest of this tribe has been coming up with stupid reasons for why the great Valoo was in distress, and yours makes the most sense out of all of them!"

Medli blushed. "Y-You really think so? I mean, I'm still working on figuring out Valoo's language-"

"Come on!" hollered the determined Komali, leaping out of his bed and grabbing Medli's hand. "We have to go tell Father!"

"O-Okay!" said Medli, allowing for her to be lead out of Komali's room and towards the chieftain's room.

"Thank you, Prince Komali..." whispered Medli, her eyes watering.

* * *

Time Link wiped his lips, having had to drink his third to last bottle of water potion.

"Okay, I have 30 minutes to help you fight Gohma," informed Time Link. "Once 30 minutes are up-"

"I won't let that happen," interrupted Sail Link. "I won't let you experience that again."

Time Link smiled, handing the big key over to Sail Link. "Well then, after you."

Sail Link gave a stiff nod of determination, thrusting the key into the huge lock. The key immediately turned on its own, the lock vanishing with a glare of white light. The ominous door slowly opened, and Time Link immediately went through.

Sail Link was just about to follow suit, when he realized something was tugging at his hair...

* * *

Time Link was walking along a narrow path that was separating the previous room from Gohma's lair, when Sail Link finally caught up with him.

"Good of you to join," said Time Link with the slightest speck of sarcasm. "What kept ya?"

"Nerves," said Sail Link, Time Link nodding in understanding.

"Don't worry," said Time Link, as they reached the opening to Gohma's domain. "It's completely normal."

"Does it ever go away?" asked Sail Link.

"Quite honestly? No."

And with that, the entrance shut and locked behind them. There was no turning back.

The ground started to shake...

"Here we go..." shuddered Sail Link.

The giant pool of lava in front of them began to bubble...

Time Link growled. "Let's do this you dirty rotten excuse for a-"

Then an enormous monster emerged from the burning lava, revealed to be a gigantic...

"CENTIPEDE?!" cried the boys.

* * *

**Infernal Parasite: GOHMA**

* * *

Gohma roared, as her entire body squirmed like a venomous Rope. Her entire figure was covered with a rock hard protective shell, making her both offensive and defensive.

"We need to find a way to destroy her shell!" shouted Time Link.

"That's a great idea, but this room doesn't have a single bomb plant!" Sail Link cried out.

Time Link spun his grappling hook and launched it at Gohma's eerie eye, only to find out, to his dismay, that Gohma's eyelids were armored as well, which she used to block the grappling hook.

"Uh oh..." quietly panicked Time Link. "Sail Link! Run! Find something in this room to break her shell!"

Sail Link followed Time Link's demand, and just in time, avoiding Gohma as she brought her right claw down to the ground, making the whole room shake. Time Link stood his ground, doing whatever he could to distract the gigantic parasite.

"Oy!" Time Link shouted at the monster. "Don't you recognize me?! I bet your ancestors never shut up about me!"

Gohma responded in a dangerous manner, breathing fire at the hero. He quickly somersaulted out of the line of fire.

"I'll take that as a 'Yes, you're right,'" said the hero, jeering. "Well, I'm back, I'm going to defeat you, and there's nothing you can do!"

Gohma responded by bringing her left claw down, Time Link only missing it by half an inch.

_Think think THINK!_ Sail Link shouted at himself. _There has to be something here..._

Sail Link panicked when the hero screamed.

Gohma had brought both of her huge claws down, trapping Time Link, and making him an easy target to breathe fire upon, which she did.

"SIR!" screamed Sail Link.

"Don't worry about me!" yelled Time Link, getting back on his feat weakly. "Keep looking for a solution!"

After five more minutes of cat and mouse, Sail Link finally noticed something on the ceiling. It was red and scaly...

"Valoo's tail!" screamed Sail Link, in realization.

With Gohma still focusing on Time Link, Sail Link lassoed his grappling hook onto the tail, overhearing Valoo make a noise of surprise.

The kid swung back and forth and back and forth, before retracting the hook, making a huge slab of bedrock come crashing down on Gohma.

And all it did was crack her outer shell, by a tiny amount.

Gohma was enraged. She shook and squirmed with fury, spewing fire everywhere. Time Link got the worst of it, the fire making him flop down to the ground for a second.

"I have to find a faster way!" shouted Sail Link, becoming hysterical.

"Don't!" shouted Time Link, a rasp beginning to form in his voice. "You found a way, and one is all you need!"

Sail Link nodded, lassoing the hook around the tail again.

But this time, Gohma took notice.

Sail Link felt like time slowed down as Gohma heaved in, her chest beginning to glow orange, and as quickly as it slowed down, time snapped back to reality as Sail Link launched, barely missing Gohma's fiery breath.

The slab came down, and Gohma's shell wasn't looking too good. But it still stayed intact.

Gohma, having lost track of Sail Link, took all her fury out on Time Link, taking him by surprise. He was reaching for his penultimate potion when he was swatted to the side, the bottle spilling all over the floor. He immediately went for his last one, but the heat, along with the sudden pain of Gohma's attack, left him defenseless. Slowly, he began to black out...

"NO YOU DON'T, YOU MONSTER!" roared Sail Link, gaining Gohma's full attention. But by that point, Sail Link had already latched onto Valoo's tail a third time, soaring over the parasite's head. Gohma made the big mistake of looking up, as the slab fell down right on her face, shattering her shell into pieces and temporarily blinding her.

The dizzy Gohma was too out if it to make a move, so Sail Link rushed over to the unconscious form of Time Link...

* * *

_Sail Link was just about to follow suit, when he realized something was tugging at his hair..._

_"Yoohoo!" squeaked a voice._

_"Huh?" said Sail Link, turning around to see nobody. "Who's there?"_

_Suddenly, a tiny bright yellow light was right in his face._

_"BOO!" said the light._

_Sail Link yelped, and fell down on his bottom, in surprise. "What the heck are you?"_

_The bright light got up in his face again and giggled, Sail Link started to notice the outline of a little girl in the light._

_"I'm a fairy!" said the light, shining happily. "The Fairy Queen was aware of the hero's plight, so she sent me to help him if he fell in battle!"_

_"How come I didn't get_ one?" _Sail Link griped._

_The fairy giggled. "That's easy, you silly goose! The Fairy Queen knew you would be okay!"_

_"Oh," said Sail Link, blushing. "I'm flattered."_

_"You should be!" said the fairy. "She doesn't say that about just anybody!"_

_Sail Link giggled, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go join Time Link-"_

_But the fairy ignored him, deciding to hide in his cap. "I'll be here when either of you two need help."_

_"Oh alright," said Sail Link, running to catch up with Time Link._

* * *

Sail Link removed his cap, releasing the fairy. "Please..." begged Sail Link.

The fairy immediately got to work, flying around Time Link rapidly, his eyes popping open as his strength slowly returned.

"Navi...?" wheezed Time Link, still in a daze.

The fairy suddenly froze in her work, before quickly adding, "Nope. Haven't heard that name in a while," and returning to work.

When she was done, Time Link stood up, to witness the flailing Gohma, and his eyes ignited with fury.

"She's all yours," said Sail Link, backing away from Time Link and Gohma, as the fairy flew off, her work done.

Time Link took out his final potion, downing the whole thing in one go, allowing Gohma to get the full experience of the wrath of the Hero of Time.

The hero began by latching his grappling hook onto Gohma's exposed eye, as she screeched in pain. Next, he yanked the hook back, bringing Gohma with him, as she smashed down onto the ground. Finally, Time Link grabbed her by the eye, forcing her to stare at the sharp blade of the Hero of Time's Gilded Sword.

Time Link didn't even bother to say any final remarks to the parasite. He immediately stabbed the horrible creature right in her eye.

The monster roared and writhed, as a putrid black liquid oozed from the eye. The bug's movements became more and more jerked, until the creature was completely frozen. Then, Gohma, the Infernal Parasite, burst in a cloud of dark smoke.

Dragon Roost Cavern was conquered. Gohma was dead. Valoo was free.

And Medli, Prince Komali, and the rest of the Ritos, were finally safe.

**AN: And that's it! Feel free to tell me your favorite parts in the reviews! I love to know what sections of my chapters put smiles on your faces! :) Ending section of Dragon Roost Island part 1 is next, and maybe some messing around afterwards. Ciao!**


	7. Chapter 7: Inspect Everything

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: **

**Well. **

**This took a long time to finish. **

**Thanks a lot, highschool. *Ahem* that was sarcasm, by the way. T_T**

**Due to my rushing to get this chapter done after a long absence, this chapter is somewhat short. I'm sorry :(**

**That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Time Link had to take a moment to realize what had just transpired in the last ten minutes.

He had succeeded in properly vanquishing Gohma, the Infernal Parasite, a monster that had haunted his memories for years and years without end.

But Gohma's defeat was only a tiny piece of Time Link's newfound awe; Sail Link was the one responsible for the rest of it. This little child, a child that the hero had met only a couple of days ago, was rapidly proving himself to be a courageous young boy, one who could keep himself alive without any other adults to look after him...

Time Link suddenly grimaced, despising himself for allowing his mind to think, even for a split second, about leaving the young islander for the rest of the journey. No matter how desperately Time Link wished to get some answers about where he was, how he got here, and how far off in time he was, the young boy came first. There was always the possibility of the child getting hurt; the hero's own recent encounters with death were proof of that.

But of all the questions swimming in the hero's mind, one question stood out among the rest; a question that the hero would think about more frequently than the others.

_Why_ was he here?

Sail Link, always the one to unintentionally save Time Link from his mind when it got cluttered, rushed up to him and gave him a big hug. The young kid's eyes were twinkling with the joy of a victory well earned, and Time Link was instantly whisked away from his previous thoughts, to finally focus on the joyous truth: he and Sail Link had just saved the Rito's from what could have been a bleak future. They had won.

"You did it!" squealed Sail Link, his ecstatic expression betraying his rapid breathing and his worn out stance. "You were so... so... My Gods, you were awesome!" continued Sail Link, words failing him.

Sail Link's words gave Time Link a chance to quit worrying about he couldn't control at the moment. Finally allowing himself to put his uneasy thoughts to the side, Time Link smiled back at Sail Link, his face resonating with pride for the young boy. "You weren't too bad yourself, kid."

The two boys shook hands firmly, both extremely proud of the other, in taking down the wretched beast. They were one huge step closer to rescuing Aryll. As for Ganon, the steps was much much smaller. But it was still a step, and that's all that mattered at the moment.

* * *

Out in the Great Sea, the three rooted deities observed the two boys, delighted to see how the two benefitted from the circumstances they where given.

"You see, sister?" asked the voice of power to the voice of courage. "The youngster is creating nothing but goodness in the Hero's mind."

The voice of courage, however, was not satisfied. "You, unlike I, have not been given much of a chance to learn about the hero, his past, or his struggles. I have the responsibility of watching over the Hero since the beginning of time, just as Nayru does with the Princess, and you with the King of Evil."

"All the same," added the voice of wisdom, "There is no denying that the Hero must always be supervised, if we wish for the very land that we created, to not be destroyed beyond repair."

The voice of courage shuddered, knowing that the new boy was one of the only reasons that Time Link was still at peace. _One more quest, Hero _thought the entity of courage. _One final quest..._

* * *

Time Link picked up the floating heart, smiling at the glow it produced. He always reminded himself of these wondrous objects, whenever he was in a dungeon and his body told him to just give up. Because, no matter how excruciating the dungeon became, or how deadly the final monster was, the treasure that Time Link was currently holding in his hands always got him back on track.

"What is that?" asked Sail Link, looking at the shiny object in the hero's hands.

"I call it a Heart Container," said Time Link. "It's a little difficult to explain its effects... Basically, Heart Containers give you a permanent stamina boost, or an increase in health. The more Heart Containers you collect, the harder it is for you to collapse during a difficult battle. They don't make death impossible, but they give you quite an advantage over it."

Sail Link gasped in astonishment. "That's insane! How many have you gotten?"

Time Link held up his left hand to his own face, sticking out his index finger in an attempt to shush the child before he got too excited. "Before I tell you, there's one more aspect to this entire thing."

Sail Link sat down on the newly solid ground, the pool of lava having frozen into rock with Gohma's demise. Crossing his legs, the islander said in an attentive voice, "I'm listening."

Time Link began to slowly pace in a straight line, as if he was a teacher in a classroom. "Heart Containers are very difficult to come by. I've only achieved mine by defeating gigantic monsters that dwell in dungeons much like this cavern we recently braved through."

Noticing Sail Link worriedly gulp, Time Link added, "However, there is another way."

"There is?" asked Sail Link, perking. "What is it?"

"Pieces of Heart. I call them Heart Pieces. They work exactly like Heart Containers, but you need to find four of them in order to make the equivalent of one Heart Container. However, if Heart Containers exist in this world, then I have a hunch that there's a good handful of Heart Pieces scattered throughout this world as well."

Sail Link let out an "ahhhhhhhh" in wonder and awe. "How can I get them?"

Time Link shrugged. "The way you get them tends to vary, at least that's what I remember from my experiences. My advice is, do whatever you can in this world, discover every secret, overcome every obstacle, and those Herat Pieces will come right to you. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" said Sail Link, firmly nodding his head once.

"Very well," said Time Link. "Now let's get out of this dusky cavern."

Sail Link's face grew pale. "But sir... the door we came through is still locked..."

Suddenly, a bright blue light grew in the middle of the monster's lair. The light emitted a very calm and peaceful sound, easing both travelers of any stress they were holding onto.

"Come on," said Time Link, beckoning Sail Link to follow him to the newly formed light. "That's our way out."

"Through there?!" said Sail Link as he pointed at the blue light, suddenly very uneasy. "No way. I have no idea what it could do to me."

Time Link rolled his eyes. "Well I do. I've been in these things a dozen of times."

"Nuh uh," said Sail Link, staying absolutely still. "I'm not going in there."

Time Link sighed loudly, amazed that the little boy could take down a gigantic fire breathing monstrosity, and yet cower at the idea of stepping into a bright light.

"I'll show you how harmless it is," said Time Link, heading towards the glow. "I suggest you follow after me. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't wanna be stuck here."

The hero walked into the center of the light, Sail Link gaping as the warrior began to float. The hero then began to spin in a circle, faster and faster, until he disappeared in a flare of white light.

Sail Link warily followed Time Link's example, slowly stepping into the blue light. He felt himself being lifted from the ground, and he grinned in spite of his fears. Time Link was right. There really was no reason to be afraid of this silly little light. He felt zero nausea as he began to spin and spin and spin...

* * *

Medli and Komali were still trying to convince the Ritos of the real cause for Valoo's anger, when a wondrous sound caught their ears.

Medli took in a sharp breath, not believing what she had just heard. Komali, on the other hand, sprouted an open-mouth grin, delighted at what his ears had picked up.

All throughout the island, Valoo's majestic roar reverberated; a call that was not out of anger or pain, but sweet serenity.

The island began to drastically change. Multiple Rito's gasped in shock, as the air they were breathing became clearer and clearer, as the ash and ember whisked away from the ground, to make way for pure fresh air. Near the top of the island, the foreboding ring of thick black smoke grew thinner and thinner, before it vanished altogether.

Seagulls could be heard. The breeze was pleasant. The air was clear. The sky was blue. It was as if Valoo's fury never existed.

The island's inhabitants, now fully aware of what this change meant for their way of life, and their future, began to cheer and scream with joy. Quill sighed in relief, knowing exactly who was responsible for this pleasant change, if what Medli and Komali said was true. But unlike Quill, and some of the previously uncertain Ritos, the chieftain did not have any doubts that Medli and Komali were telling the truth.

Medli and Komali were in their own little worlds, Komali having gently put down his grandma's gift, to grab Medli, lift her up and happily spin her around. The two children laughed, cheered, and hollered, their expressions of pure joy shining brightly, not having a care if their enthusiasm was over the top or not. They were safe! Komali could safely get his wings! Medli had finally managed to prove herself how valuable she truly was to the Rito tribe! It was a miracle!

When Komali finally brought Medli down gently, they both realized how red the other's face was. Medli immediately thought to look away, while poor Komali was frozen solid, having no idea what to do. Eventually, their accomplishment won over their embarrassment, and the two young Ritos went right in for a great, big, heartfelt hug, all the while laughing with pure, blissful joy.

The chieftain observed this interaction with interest, knowing exactly what was going on, and chuckled, telling himself that it was bound to happen eventually.

The chieftain was finally at peace. The future for Ritos was bright once again, and for his son, it seemed to glow the brightest.

* * *

WHOOOOOSH!

In the blink of an eye, Sail Link found himself back at the shore of Dragon Roost Island, with a smirking Time Link right in front of him.

"I told you. You had nothing to worry about," said the hero, earning himself a playful shove from Sail Link. Time Link, in response, playfully shoved back.

"Time Link! Sail Link!" called a familiar female voice from afar. The boys turned around and smiled, as Medli ran to them as fast as she could, with Komali behind her, doing his best to keep up with the female Rito, while carefully holding his grandmother's gift.

Medli ran up to Time Link, making the hero rigid by giving him a warm hug. Sail Link giggled at the warrior's expense. For such a legendary hero, the poor boy always seemed to become terribly shy around girls.

While Time Link was stuck with the overly joyous Medli, Sail Link walked up to the sheepish Komali, giving the Rito Prince a smirk.

"I bet you doubted that we would ever make it," challenged the young islander, smirking.

Komali looked down, in embarrassment. "Yeah... I guess I did, a little bit."

Medli suddenly took Komali by surprise, having managed to sneak up behind him and clasp both of his shoulders.

"Well, Prince Komali?" asked the giggling Medli. "Don't you have something you want to say?"

Getting the wrong idea, Time Link rose an eyebrow and grew a knowing grin, while Sail Link tried his best not to chuckle.

Noticing the change of attitude, Medli paused. "What? What did I say?"

"You two finally admitted your feelings, didn't you?" said Time Link, confident in his answer.

The two Ritos jumped away from each other, their blushes making their faces match their eyes. Medli looked completely humiliated, while Komali looked incredibly shocked and confused with how Time Link even came to that conclusion.

Time Link, realizing his mistake, brought his hands out and shook them as he did the same with his head. "K-Kidding! I was only kidding!"

"Suuuurrre you were," said Sail Link in a sly tone, laughing even harder when Time Link blushed along with the Rito children.

"M-My apologies," said Time Link, when everyone's embarrassment finally died down, and Sail Link had finally pulled himself together. "What was it that you were going to tell us, Komali?"

The Rito Prince quickly cleared his throat. "Um, Medli told me everything while you two were climbing Dragon Roost Cavern... And we both saw the island change when you two seemed to have gotten rid of the cause of Valoo's pain... That was you, right?"

Time Link and Sail Link gave each other a quick look for confirmation, before turning back to the Rito children to answer with "Yep," and "That was us."

Komali was brought down to his knees at those answers. Medli kept her gentle hold on the young Rito Prince, making sure he wasn't hurt. Unfortunately, this didn't go unnoticed by Time Link, who gave the poor girl another grin, much to her embarrassment.

"Sail Link... Time Link..." said Komali, quietly, shaking like a leaf as tears welled up in his eyes. "Thank you both so much! I was wrong to have ever doubted either of you!"

Sail Link kneeled down to be at level with Komali, and gave the male Rito a cordial smile. "Hey, that's all in the past, Komali. Besides, we know you didn't mean it."

Komali instantly dropped his prized possession and latched onto the startled boy. The child felt his right shoulder grow damp as the fabric of his shirt absorbed the prince's warm, fresh tears.

"I hope I can be like you someday, Sail Link," whimpered the boy Rito.

Time Link was speechless. Sure, it was his ocarina that put the Rito in a good mood, but it was Sail Link that stuck around to talk to the prince. And in that short amount of time, the boy had managed to make the Rito so much more... bright. The young prince was being a lot more expressive since the last time the hero saw him, and those tears were definitely tears of joy, not sadness.

Time Link recalled Sail Link's declaration from yesterday.

"I'm gonna be the one that makes you enjoy your life all over again!"

Suddenly, the kid's goal sounded a lot less ridiculous than before.

"You will, Komali!" encouraged Medli, lifting Komali back onto his feet. "I just know it! Right?"

Realizing the question was directed towards them, Sail Link and Time Link nodded warmly. They both had complete faith in the young Komali. With his determination, and maybe a little support from Medli, he would grow up to be a fine Rito.

Komali picked up Din's Pearl, and looked over to Medli for approval. Receiving a kind smile and a nod, he turned back to the boys, and held up the heirloom for them to see.

"Time Link... Sail Link... Here. I want you two to take this."

Time Link and Sail Link's eyes widened as they realized what Komali was allowing them to take out of the boy's possession. Sail Link very carefully took Din's Pearl out of the young Rito's hands, and gently passed it over to Time Link, who packed the orange glowing pearl into his satchel to keep it safe.

"I appreciate you giving this to us," said a slightly concerned Sail Link, "but that doesn't change the fact that your grandma gave it to you. What made you decide to give it to us?" he asked, knowing that he would rather have himself be attacked by angry pigs than give away anything that his grandmother gave him.

"Because," explained the determined Komali, "giving you the thing I value most will give me the courage I need to stand up to bad things!"

"Well don't you worry," said Sail Link, reassuringly. "Din's Pearl is safe with us. We won't let anything happen to your gift from your wonderful grandmother."

"Thank you," said Komali, smiling. Medli smiled warmly as well, delighted to know that Komali could finally let go of his woes and move onto bigger and better things.

An unexpected roar made the trees sway and the ground shake. Looking up, the four children noticed Valoo looking back down at them.

Medli laughed with glee, turning to the brave boys in green. "The great Valoo is grateful to both of you."

Valoo began to speak a weird jumble of syllables, which Sail Link could only guess was language of a dragon.

"What did he say?" asked Sail Link, eagerly waiting waiting for Medli to answer confidently.

Instead, Medli answered with slight confusion. "Use the wind god's... wind? I don't understand. I wonder what it means..."

"So do I..." said Time Link, much quieter than before.

"The wind god's wind..." pondered Komali, walking in a circle with his head slightly down. After a moment, he lifted his head, with realization in his eyes. "What if he's talking about the Wind Shrine through that tunnel over there?" he cried out, pointing to the same tunnel.

"Worth a shot," said Sail Link, grinning. "How about you come along with Time Link and I, to see if you're correct?"

Komali smiled. "Thanks, but I'm afraid I must decline."

Sail Link slightly frowned, confused and slightly disappointed with the Rito's answer. "Huh? Why not?"

"I'm going to go and visit Valoo!" shouted Komali, clenching his hands into fists and bringing them to his sides in complete determination. "Next time you see me, I'll have the best pair of wings ever!"

Before Medli could react, Komali charged back towards the village, shouting out a final, "Thanks for everything you've done!" before completely vanishing.

"Hey, Prince Komali!" shouted Medli, but it was already too late. He was gone, off to see Valoo in order to finally get his wings.

Time Link, having shaken himself from his thoughts, walked up to the discouraged Medli, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Medli," said Time Link. "You have more than enough time to tell Komali what you wish for him to know."

Medli smiled softly, looking at the hero. Gratitude shined in her ruby red eyes, as joy was expressed throughout her entire face. "You're right... I do..."

Medli brought her head back up to address the boys one more time. "Thank you so much, Sail Link and Time Link," said the gratuitous Rito.

Walking up to them, Medli received a comforting hand shake from Time Link, and a warm and enthusiastic hug from Sail Link. Medli ran off to find Komali, vanishing from the boys' field of view, but not before shouting out, "See you again someday!"

Time Link smiled. This was one of the few things that he couldn't help but enjoy about being an adventurer: making new friends. No matter where he travelled, the hero always managed to make a new friend. Heck, as an adventurer, he made friends with a fair share of enemies! And if it weren't for traveling, the young boy never would have met-

"Come on!" shouted an excited Sail Link, yanking Time Link by the arm. "We have to go see the Wind Shrine! It's on the other side of that hole in the wall!"

Sail Link dashed for the opening in the mountain, as Time Link ran after him at a steady pace.

On the other side, Sail Link shielded his eyes from the glaring light, but he could just make out the outlines of an island. When the child's eyes focused back into vision, he rubbed them in confusion.

The island of the Wind Shrine was... small, empty, and just plain boring-looking.

"Jeez," said Sail Link, as he and Time Link trudged water to reach the shrine. "You would think that a shrine, that honors the god of the winds, would be more... honorable."

"Not exactly," responded Time Link. "If a shrine must honor a god, it should consist of materials that will last forever. Very few objects last forever. Stone can last a long time though."

"Oh really?" challenged a somewhat annoyed Sail Link, as he reached the island. "Because these stones didn't seem to last very long to me!"

Just ahead of Sail Link and Time Link, were two tiny slabs of stone, seeming to be monuments. At a glance, the monuments appeared to resemble tombstones, which was a peculiar way to honor a god that probably had an infinite lifespan. The one on the left stood proudly, sculpted in such a way that the edges were decorated with spirals, no doubt there to represent the currents of the wind. The one on the right however, had a huge chunk of itself missing. The jagged edges of the remains of the slab suggested that something collided with the slab, completely destroying it.

"I meant by natural decay, not by damage from other objects" said Time Link, responding to Sail Link's remark in a cold tone. Sail Link looked away, embarrassed for being proven right, and upset for rudely responding — at the _Hero of Time_ of all people — without thinking first.

"Still, it is a shame," said Time Link, walking up to the broken stone, and kneeling on one knee to further inspect it. "Imagine all the work the Ritos put into flawlessly constructing this monument, only to have it ruined by the unstoppable forces of the world..."

"Yeah, I mean, look at the other one!" said Sail Link, pointing to the monumental stone on the left. "That one looks amazing! Kinda dull looking though. I think it would look a lot better with some colors."

Time Link chuckled before getting back up from his kneeling position. "Sail Link, I doubt that you, I, or anybody else on this island knows if the winds even have a color, because none of us have actually _seen_ the wind. If we ever did, I'm sure this shrine would be a lot less dull."

"Oh yeah," said Sail Link, putting his hands in his pockets out of embarrassment. But then something stuck out in the monument's decoration.

"But sir... If the wind doesn't have any color, because we can't see it... Why does the stone have shapes on it?"

"I beg your pardon?" asked Time Link, not understanding where Sail Link was going with this new train of thought.

"Look at the middle!" said Sail Link, pointing at the center of the stone monument. "I don't know about you, but from what I'm seeing, this rock has shapes on it!"

Time Link focused on the monumental stone, and almost smacked his own forehead for not noticing sooner. Sure enough, three symbols decorated the stone, and they were all shaped like diamonds. But there was another part to these symbols that Sail Link had failed to notice.

"Arrows," wondered Time Link out loud.

"Huh?" asked Sail Link, turning his focus away from the shrine to rest it on Time Link.

"Look at the shapes," said Time Link. "They have arrows in them."

"I don't understand..." said Sail Link.

Grumbling silently, Time Link got right up to the stone, and used his left hand to trace invisible markings, not wanting to actually ruin the shrine. He traced out the hidden arrows on the symbols.

Up.

Left.

Right.

Sail Link's eyes widened. "I see them! I see them!"

Time Link smirked. "Now you're learning. Let this be another lesson for you: inspect everything, and you'll find everything."

"Yes, sir!" shouted Sail Link, standing at attention.

"There really is no need for that..." mumbled an embarrassed, but flattered, Time Link.

Unfortunately, discovering the shrine's hidden arrows left one difficult question to answer.

"What on the Great Sea do these arrows even mean?" asked a stumped, and increasingly annoyed, Sail Link.

"Honestly? I have no idea," said Time Link, deflating slightly.

Sail Link groaned, ruffling up his hair and cap in frustration. "Well now what the heck do we do?!"

"We think, that's what we do," answered Time Link immediately, before Sail Link could do anything remotely regretful.

Sail Link loudly sighed, starting to become fed up with the Wind Shrine. "That's easy for you to say. You've done this kind of thing hundreds of times!"

"Well then, now is a good time for _you_ to start," said Time Link, unphased by the kid's poor attitude. "I can't do all of this for you. Before you know it, you will find yourself in a predicament where I won't be there to help you, and you'll have to do these kinds of things on your own."

Sail Link jolted back from Sail Link's words, before regaining his composure. "Yes, sir."

Time Link gave a nod, before trudging back to the main island, and sitting in the shade. He really didn't want to force the poor kid to learn critical thinking at such a young age, but it really was the only way to make the islander as aware as the hero himself was on his first quest. He was forced to learn critical thinking without anyone willing to teach it to him, and as long as it's under his control, no one else will have to learn critical thinking without a teacher.

* * *

Sail Link paced back and forth, staring down at the ground as he tried to solve the puzzle. Why would a shrine of winds be decorated with arrows? Were they wind directions? No, they couldn't be. Sail Link was pretty sure that the wind would sometimes travel south, which meant that the stone would need to show a shape that contained an arrow pointing down. Maybe the arrows were directions in the idea of the directions that Sail Link would see on guide-signs. No, that idea was even more ridiculous than the first one. The shrine didn't have any stinking words on it! Well, none that the kid could read, anyway. Still though, the symbols' arrows had to symbolize some sort of variation for directions. But Sail Link was lost as to what variation they were supposed to represent.

Sail Link suddenly had an idea that maybe the arrows were directions for a map. Go north, go east, go west- no wait, that wouldn't make sense either! Going west after going east would just put him right back the location he took when he went north. Right?

Doubting himself, Sail Link took out the unfinished sea chart to double check. First he had to find his absolute location. He'd need a thin object in order to properly pinpoint it. There was only object in Sail Link's pirate satchel that seemed appropriate for pinpointing, and that object was the Wind Waker, so Sail Link decided that he would use it to-

_The Wind Waker._

Sail Link's eyes widened, an idea popping in his head as soon as he thought about mystical baton and dug it out of the satchel. It couldn't be that... Could it? It was worth a shot, anyway.

As soon as he readied the glistening baton, he could almost hear a choir humming all around him.

Being sure to conduct in perfect 3/4, Sail Link gracefully directed the Wind Waker up, left, and right.

* * *

Time Link, who was experimenting with his ocarina, paused his playing when his senses picked up a peculiar change in the environment. His hair had sagged, the grass was motionless, and the sea became as flat as the grounds of the Time Temple.

The ever moving wind, had halted.

* * *

Sail Link stared at the Wind Waker, before sadly returning to the map. "What was I thinking...?"

The islander was suddenly startled when he heard the hero returning to the shrine, water noisily swishing around his figure as he trudged the sea and climbed onto the small island.

"Hi," said Sail Link, without enthusiasm. "If you're here to ask me how far I've gotten, I'll tell you right now, I haven't moved an inch."

"Something happened," informed Time Link, firmly. "The wind seems to have... frozen."

Sail Link perked. "I thought there had to be a reason to why it was so easy for me to hold this chart without it getting whisked away," he said, holding up the sea chart.

Curious, Time Link took the parchment out of the boy's hands, inspecting it from all angles. He frowned.

"Sail Link... this chart is very unfinished," said the Hero of Time, slightly disapprovingly.

The other young boy rolled his eyes and momentarily threw his hands up. "Wow, I'm _so sorry_ that I was focusing more on the shrine than the stupid sea chart!"

"Tone and language. Watch them _both_," said Time Link, not amused with Sail Link at all.

"Sorry, sir," said Sail Link, shying away from the hero's cold gaze.

Time Link sighed. "Alright, well the halt of the wind doesn't mean much I suppose. It isn't unheard of for the sea to experience of period of lull."

The hero stretched out his arms before focusing back on the islander. "Now then, I've given you a nice stretch of time to think critically. I want you to tell me every theory you came up with, and if there are any other possible theories you didn't try, I will try them for you." instructed Time Link, calmly.

"Yes, sir," responded Sail Link, more than ready to express his difficulty with the shrine. He politely took his sea chart back from Time Link, put it back in his pirate satchel, and cleared his throat.

"So, my first thought was that the arrows symbolized wind directions, like the first symbol means that the wind is blowing north, and-"

_WHOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHHH!_

Sail Link yelped as the wind suddenly picked up speed once again. It rushed through Time Link, Sail Link, and the two stone slabs, before soaring off towards the vast sea.

"What in the world..." wondered Time Link, just as perplexed as Sail Link.

"I don't think I wanna be on this Wind Shrine anymore. It doesn't seem to like me," nervously joked Sail Link.

"What I want to know is if that change in the wind was a natural occurrence, or if it was controlled," pondered the suspicious Time Link.

"Yep! That's a miiiiiighty nice breeze!" said a third voice, right behind the two boys.

Like lightning, Time Link unsheathed his sword and swung at the intruder, only to connect with open air.

"Who goes there!" shouted Time Link, his warrior side making itself fully known. "Show yourself!"

"Y-yeah!" said Sail Link, struggling to make himself appear to be just as threatening as the hero.

The two boys stood their ground as the entire shrine seemed to laugh around them.

Suddenly, a figure zoomed into their field of view, right between the two shrine stones.

It seemed to be a big, dull greenish toad, nestled on a sickly green cloud. The figure also had a little bit of a glow to it.

"The name's Zephos," said the creature. "I'm the god of winds."

The boys' eyes almost popped out of their heads.

"I tried to cut you in half..." said the mortified Time Link.

Zephos simply laughed. "A simple mistake," he said, before turning to the child who held the silver baton.

"So, you're the newest one to hold the Wind Waker, are you?" asked Zephos, smiling.

"Y-yes sir!" said Sail Link, immediately.

Zephos laughed once again. "Great, great. For a beginner, you've got a nice wind sense about you. I like you kid!"

He then turned his attention over to Time Link. "And of course, the Hero of Time himself. So you've been acting as this kid's guide during his quest? Bravo for you! I'm quite impressed!"

"Don't mention it," said Time Link, somewhat diffidently.

"That tune you just picked up?" said Zephos, returning his attention to Sail Link. "Well, it gives you control over the direction the wind blows."

"Wooowwww," said Sail Link, amazed at the power that the Wind Waker held. "That's so cool!"

"Welllll not entirely," said Zephos, frowning. "You see, depending on how it's used, wind can be a good thing... or a very bad thing."

Sail Link gulped, while Time Link grumbled. "Why do I get the feeling that the bad part isn't your fault?" griped the hero.

"You're correct, Hero of Time," replied Zephos. "That would be my brother, Cyclos. If you want an example of wind being a bad thing, the first thing you should do is see him."

"Really? But why?" asked the concerned Sail Link.

Zephos whooshed to the broken monument. "It saddens me to say that my brother is miffed about his monument here being broken, and now he spends his time creating cyclones to torment people with."

"If you don't mind me saying, sir, your brother sounds like a spoiled brat," said Time Link, the insult making Sail Link giggle and Zephos chuckle.

"That sounds like a good definition of him." said Zephos, jokingly.

"Well, I can't stay here forever," said the Wind God, preparing to leave. "So if either of you encounter any cyclones at sea, chastise my brother for me, will you? That is my request for you!"

"Not a problem," said Time Link, nodding respectfully.

"You can count on us!" shouted Sail Link, waving energetically.

Zephos laughed full heartedly. "My thanks in advance. And with that, I'M OFF!"

Zephos guffawed as he soared into the sky, and disappeared into the clouds.

"Well," said Time Link, brushing himself off. "Now that this mystery is solved, I say we head back to the ship."

"Right behind ya!" shouted Sail Link, as the two boys returned to the main island.

But as they made their way back to the King of Red Lions and Epona, Time Link allowed himself to think back to the unsettling words of Valoo.

Unlike what Medli and Sail Link were lead to believe, Valoo did not speak dragon language.

Valoo spoke in Hylian.

And Medli left out one specific part of Valoo's message to the children.

"O Hero, thank you! O Hero, use the wind god's wind!"

_Hero? _Thought Time Link._ But all he did was save an island. It took me much more than that to be recognized as a hero. What's going on...?_

**AN: Chapter is over. Now I can get some sleep. XD once again, I apologize severely for how long this short chapter took. Hopefully the next one doesn't take nearly as long. Till next time!**


	8. Chapter 8: Leaping into Danger

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo. But hey, that's life.**

**AN: Hi everybody! How're you all doing?**

**Very quickly, I realized I made a semi-mistake. Signs seem to point to the idea that The King of Red Lions is NOT the same king from Ocarina of Time. I will eventually go back and fix chapters accordingly. But be prepared for my version of Wind Waker to still make plenty of nods to Ocarina of Time. I wanted you all to know that. Thank you.**

**In this chapter... Actually I have no idea. I kinda make up the chapters content as I progress in the game. You kinda have no choice with as vast of a world as a Legend of Zelda game. But here we go!**

"So if I heard you correctly, Valoo's anger was a result of consistent torment from a gigantic parasite? And that parasite's ancestors could possibly be connected to the monster that ended the life of the Deku Tree?" asked the King of Red Lions.

"Yes, your majesty," confirmed Time Link, floating in the water along with Sail Link. "The Lens of Truth confirmed that the monster's name was indeed Gohma. Gohma, an infernal spider that ended the Deku Tree's life, shared the same name. Although I never encountered any baby spiders when I traversed the infected Great Tree, it wouldn't be impossible for Gohma to have laid eggs in her domain, to be hatched in later years."

"Then this only further proves my suspicions," said the King of Red Lions, gravely. "It would seem that Ganon sent those monsters to this place."

Time Link clenched his teeth, while Sail Link gasped in horror.

"But why?!" asked Sail Link, exasperated. "There wasn't a single girl with pointy ears on that entire island! What else could that jerk be looking for?!"

Time Link's eyes became more intense as he gazed at his sealed satchel. He stood up and stared out towards the open sea, acknowledging the dark presence that was surely watching the trio's every move.

"He wanted the pearl," answered Time Link, with a whisper of fury.

The King's eyes grew dark at the hero's answer, while Sail Link gulped in fear.

"Exactly. And if he were find all three..." said the King, not even daring to finish his sentence, in fear of how easily the dark one could accomplish it.

"Set the sail," said Time Link, firmly. "We need to move."

"Y-Yes, sir!" shouted Sail Link, mounting the enchanted boat and preparing the sail as Time Link mounted his noble horse.

"Your Majesty," called Time Link, getting the boat's attention. "Where, from here, does the second pearl lie?"

"South," said the King, immediately.

Sail Link quickly conducted the Wind's Requiem, shouting, "South!"

The wind obeyed, its fierce power coursing to the south in a matter of seconds.

"SET SAIL!" hollered Sail Link to the King of Red Lions.

"HYAH!" shouted Time Link to Epona.

And they were off.

* * *

However, it didn't take too long for the young Sail Link to get distracted by the sights around him, much to Time Link's dismay.

"Woah!" said Sail Link in awe as he witnessed a miniature volcano. "That island is on fire!"

"Focus, Sail Link!" said Time Link, as he tried his best to avoid the gaze of two bokoblins on a lookout tower. "This isn't the time to sightsee!"

"I know," admitted Sail Link. "But it's not like I can go any faster. So, I couldn't help but look around at the Great Sea! It's beautiful!"

"The only thing you should be keeping your eyes open for are enemies," replied Time Link.

Sail Link grumbled. "Why can't you relax just a little bit? Don't get me wrong, I'm terrified of Ganon, but I've never fought him before. You have! And you won! So why are you so stressed?"

Time Link scowled. "Ganondorf isn't somebody you can ever take lightly. Ever. He has no honor. He has no remorse. He works with power, and power alone."

Sail Link gulped, feeling very uneasy all of a sudden. "Ganon_dorf__?_ Who is that?"

Time Link clenched his teeth hard, gripping the reins tightly. "Now is not the time."

Sail Link winced. "S-Sorry sir."

Time Link sighed. "Just focus on the destination."

Sail Link looked back to the bow of the boat, before suddenly getting an idea. It was quite risky though...

Sail Link took a deep breath, and returned his gaze to Time Link.

"If I focus on the destination, you have to take in the sights of the Great Sea," challenged Sail Link, bravely pointing at the legendary hero.

Time Link's eyes widened. This kid was becoming a true adventurer very quickly, that much was certain. But beyond that, Time Link was extremely impressed by how passionate Sail Link was about having fun, while still being able to defend himself. Along with being impressive, it was quite admirable.

Time Link grumbled, but there was no hatred behind it. "Fine. But you have to keep your word. No more sightseeing for you until we reach our destination."

"Yes, sir!" shouted Sail Link, darting his head towards the ship's bow, and never looking away.

Time Link, of course, kept his end of the deal as well, allowing Epona to slow down and let Sail Link take the lead. It felt very weird to turn his head left and right on his horse, since he was completely focused on where he was traveling to, for most of the time, back home. Time Link settled down, rested his arms at the back of his head, and allowed himself to just take in his surroundings.

A couple minutes later, a warm grin found its way onto the hero's face. It stayed there for the remainder of the trip.

* * *

"Land Ho!" shouted Sail Link, about a half an hour later.

Time Link darted back to his front field of view. "We've arrived?"

"Yes, we have indeed!" responded the relieved King. "See what rises up from the horizon?"

Time Link focused his eyes on the land mass in front of them. When he figured out what it was, his breath hitched. Just ahead in the distance was a somewhat battered down forest. The wood, though damaged, was smooth and shiny. And the leaves' bright green tinge almost seemed to glow. Though these details were nothing but remarkable to Sail Link, Time Link found them remarkable and _familiar_.

"When the Great Sea was created, the original name of this place eventually became a mystery to all, so it was renamed the forest haven," informed the King of Red Lions. "But the true name of this place is known to be-"

"The Kokiri Forest," said Time Link, not even believing his own words as they whisked out of his mouth.

The King nodded respectfully. "I am pleased to inform you that this is where you must go, gentlemen... the remains of the Kokiri Forest."

Time Link slowly led Epona to the forest ruins, as he observed it with his own two eyes. Unfortunately, even with its shiny qualities, the haven looked awful. It looked deserted. It looked dead. The tree to the left looked like it only barely survived years and years of abuse. The tree on the right was a different story. It looked like it was abandoned a long time ago, and in that time, something evil sprouted inside of it, making it a sick twisted place that no doubt wished everything around it dead. Time Link had a bad feeling about that dark place, so he went back to staring at the landmark on the left.

Time Link found himself unable to feel anything. On one hand, the haven was the remains of a place where he suffered years of neglect and unfair treatment. On the other hand, it was all that was left of _home_.

"Fear not, Time Link," said the King reassuringly. "Life still exists inside the remains of the Kokiri village. In fact, you may be familiar with the next being I wish for you to speak with. Or so it tells me," he added, chuckling.

"How so?" said Time Link, slightly doubting the King's words, but still eager for an answer. Sail Link also paid attention. He really wanted to know what amazing entity he would be meeting next.

"You see, boys, it is inside this grotto that you will find the spirit of the earth, the Great Deku Tree," said the King, smiling.

Sail Link let out a mesmerized "ooooooooooh," of wonder, while Time Link loudly gasped in pure shock.

"But, wait a minute, you said the Great Deku Tree was dead," said Sail Link to Time Link, confused.

"It was. But afterwards, a Deku Sprout emerged from the same spot that the Great Deku Tree once stood..." said Time Link, beginning to realize the King's meaning.

"I do believe that the sprout that you're referring to is the Great Deku Tree that now lives in the forest haven," added the King of Red Lions, confirming Time Link's realization with a grin.

The boys smiled brighter as they exited their respective vessels of transport, excited to see the Great Deku Tree; Sail Link, because he wished to see yet another colossal spirit, and Time Link, because he would finally be able to see another familiar face in this mysterious time period that he was stuck in.

"You two must speak with the Deku Tree and receive from him the sacred gem known as Farore's Pearl," informed the King, the scrunching of Time Link's face not going unnoticed by the former.

"Yes, sir!" shouted Sail Link, swimming up to shore, before suddenly being pulled back by Time Link.

"We need to be careful," warned Time Link. "If Ganondorf already succeeded in infesting Dragon Roost Island with his minions, then he will have already struck here as well."

"Indeed," said the King. "Time Link and Sail Link, go forth with caution."

"Yes, your Majesty," said the boys, making sure to bow before heading off.

* * *

While Sail Link was figuring out what to do next, Time Link decided to use a Rito quill, given to him by the Rito-Postman, to add on to Sail Link's sea chart. With all the places they were going, Sail Link was going to need a perfect sea chart. That, and the fact that a weird fish-man rubbed the hero the wrong way when he and Sail Link encountered it during their travel, made Time Link decide to just improve the chart by himself.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF OUTSET ISLAND IS THAT?!" Sail Link shouted, ahead of the hero.

The hero looked up to see a familiar, unnerving sight. It had a stem that slithered like a rope, petals with teeth, and poison dripping from its mouth like saliva. Time Link didn't need the Lens to know what that monster was.

"Boko Babas," said Time Link in disgust, reaching into his satchel. "I hate these things."

Finding the object he wanted, Time Link took his hand out of the satchel and swung his arm forward. A peculiar looking item flew from the warrior to the monster, decapitating its stem instantly. The monster exploded in a familiar puff of smoke.

But just ahead was another creature, emerging from a body of water. Time Link knew the disgusting water monster all too well.

"An Octoroc. These guys are easy," remarked the hero, using his small Hylian shield to send the monster's projectiles right back at it. It comically spun around in midair before disappearing in smoke.

"Why do all the monsters have to be so... ugly?!" said Sail Link in disgust.

"Ugliness is the last thing we should be thinking about," warned Time Link, "Because if Boko Babas and Octorocs are outside of the forest, I don't want to know what things are inside."

"Also, what was that thing you used to take out that monstrous plant?" asked Sail Link.

Time Link only smirked. "In due time, Sail Link. In due time."

* * *

The inside of the forest was breathtaking. The air around the boys seemed to sparkle and shine, while the plants stood tall and proud.

Time Link felt a pang of nostalgia. His life in the forest wasn't the best, but he could still make a huge list of happy moments from his childhood home that he would hate to forget.

"I'm home..." whispered Time Link, smiling.

Sail Link was quick to get his attention though, shouting, "Come on! I wanna see the Deku Tree!"

Time Link chuckled quietly. "Okay okay, just calm down."

After climbing up some mini waterfalls, the old Deku Tree was right in front of them. Towering over them, it wasn't hard for the boys to notice a giant face etched into the features of its trunk, while its leaves spread across the ceiling of the haven. It was majestic! It was exhilarating! It was...

Asleep.

"HELLOOOOOOOOOO?" shouted Sail Link. "YOU'VE BEEN EXPECTING UUUUUSSSSSS?!"

"Hush!" said Time Link, desperate not to make a bad impression on the Great Deku Tree. "Shouting isn't going to help!"

"Why not?" questioned Sail Link. "My sister screams in my ear to wake me up. It always works."

Time Link rolled his eyes. "Here, let me try."

The hero walked up to the tree, slowly. He kept his eyes on the massive plant, as if it would disappear if he turned his head away. Once he got close enough, Time Link closed his eyes and gently laid his hands on the trunk of the tree.

"We have arrived, Great Deku Tree. Will you not awake for us?" asked Time Link quietly, rubbing the trunk with such delicacy that the rough bark felt smooth.

In fact, the bark felt too smooth... to the point where it felt _slimy_.

Time Link, picking up on the abnormal texture of the tree, released his hands immediately, as if the tree had suddenly caught on fire. Something wasn't right. Nothing in the forest had such a sticky, slimy residue coating it, especially the trees.

Approaching the tree a second time, Time Link placed his hands on the trunk of the tree, his eyes now open. His wide eyes opened wider, realizing that when he touched the sticky texture, his hands weren't actually making contact with the tree. The slime was invisible.

Time Link hastily opened his satchel, fishing for the Lens of Truth. He already had a feeling about what was going on, and he was desperately hoping that the Lens would prove him wrong. Unfortunately, the Lens of Truth only confirmed his suspicions.

The face, of the sleeping Great Deku Tree, had slimy green and red Chu Chus crawling all over it.

Time Link resisted the urge to throw up. The nauseous child dropped the Lens in the process, much to other boy's curiosity. As soon as the Lens had been dropped, it was being picked up again by Sail Link, who gazed at the tree with it.

"EEEEUUUUUUUGH!" said Sail Link in utter disgust, noticing the familiar green monsters. "What the heck are they doing?!"

Time Link shuddered. "I just pray to the goddesses that they are only on the surface of the Great Deku Tree, and haven't built a home inside of it, using it for nourishment-"

"EWW! Stop! Just stop! Why'd you have to put that thought in head?!" moaned Sail Link. "Can't we just focus on waking the Deku Tree up?"

"And how you plan to wake it up?! By running head-first into it and hoping that it'll feel it?!" shouted Time Link, the situation making him grow more and more cranky.

Sail Link immediately scowled at Time Link's words, until an idea lit up in the sailor's head, softening his facial features. Time Link, having been around long enough to pick up on the smallest of movements, immediately had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next when Sail Link grew a tiny smirk.

"Wait," said Time Link, very quickly. "Let me rephrase that-"

Too late. Sail Link sprinted at the Deku Tree with pumping adrenaline, not even caring when his vision went white, as he smashed his forehead against the tree and fell. The child wobbled as he got up, completely disoriented, while the hero put his hand against his own face in annoyance and frustration.

Suddenly, the ground rattled as a huge groan reverberated amongst the forest. Sure enough, the Great Deku Tree was awake, and it did not accept the new critters that had made a home out of its trunk.

The Great Deku Tree shook and roared, its actions frightening the Chu Chus well enough for their camouflage to disappear, and their bodies to detach from the tree and land on the ground with multiple splats. The hero and the adventurer quickly went to work, the sound of battle cries and sword slashes echoing through the haven, as Chu Chus went down one by one. Eventually, the Great Deku Tree, and the grass around it, was spotless.

After wiping themselves clean of Chu Chu jelly— Sail Link made a point to gag— the boys brought their attention to the now fully awake Great Deku Tree. When the Deku Tree began to speak in a calm, booming voice, Time Link couldn't help but smile.

_"That garb you wear,"_ said the Great Deku Tree. _"Could you be the legendary Hero?"_

_"Yes, your grace, I am he,"_ replied Time Link, before humbly adding, _"Though I do wish that you would not refer to me by that title. It carries... conflict, in my heart and mind. I humbly ask of you to refer to me as Time Link."_

_"'Time Link'? I see..."_ replied the Great Tree, before growing a big grin. _"It's so good to see you again after countless years..."_

_"And it is an honor to see you again, Great Deku Sprout,"_ replied Time Link, finding the Deku Tree's smile to be contagious.

"Ummmmm sir?" Sail Link called out, timidly. "When you speak with that ancient language, I can't help but think you're keeping secrets from me..."

Time Link, having focused all of his attention on the Deku Tree so much that he almost forgot the islander, cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"Oh, um, yeah, heh, sorry about that," said Time Link, scratching the back of his head again before turning back to the Deku Tree, the latter somewhat confused. Time Link informed the Deku Tree to, "Please forgive Sail Link, your grace."

_"What is the matter?"_ asked the Deku Tree in concern. _"Does he not understand the ancient Hylian tongue?"_

"I'm afraid not, your grace," responded Time Link. "He seems to be Hylian, but he isn't exactly 'ancient.' Sail Link is a child of the present, whilst I, for reasons yet to be fully revealed, have been sent here from the past."

"So Sail Link is... not as experienced as thee?" asked the Deku Tree, worried for the other child's safety.

"Yes, your grace," replied Time Link, his intense eyes defying his calm complexion.

"Then we mustn't waste time," said the Deku Tree, as a branch emerged from the water, lifting the boys, and where they stood, up to eye level with the Deku Tree.

A somewhat annoyed Sail Link spoke up first. "So, what was all that previous gibberish about?"

The islander received a rather stinging smack in the back of the head, courtesy of a very displeased Time Link.

"How dare you?! You are speaking to the Great Deku Tree, the former guardian of the Kokiri Forest!" hissed Time Link. "It is an entity that has existed since my own days of survival, before Hyrule... apparently disappeared," said Time Link, growing very quiet at the end.

"Oh," said Sail Link, guiltily looking back to the Deku Tree. "I'm sorry."

"Thou art forgiven. In truth, I must be the one to apologize to thee. I was in error," said the Deku Tree to Sail Link. "You wore similar clothing to the He- Time Link, and suddenly I felt a longing for an age gone by, an age I mistook you to be a part of... That longing, and Time Link's familiarity of the language, caused the now ancient tongue to pass my lips."

"I understand. So you weren't just saying nasty things about me like I thought you were!" said Sail Link, hastily adding, "y-your grace," when he received a disapproving look from Time Link. The Deku Tree laughed in reply.

"I also owe you both my thanks," added the Deku Tree, "for your aid in ridding me of those foul creatures."

"Of course, your grace," said Time Link, respectfully. "It would've been cruel of us to leave you open for infection," he continued, ignoring Sail Link's shudder of disgust.

The Deku Tree chuckled nevertheless. "Indeed. But it is peculiar to be saved by the likes of you two, one who hasn't set foot in this forest in their whole life, and another who hasn't set foot in here for possibly hundreds of years..."

Time Link frowned. "Your grace, it saddens me to know that not even you will specify how far in the future I am. As a bearer of the deities' Triforce of Courage, I think I have a right to know."

The Great Deku Tree took pause, humbly answering, "Thou art most certainly entitled to knowing, but I am afraid I do not know the specifics, as I tend to spend most of my life in peaceful slumber. But, if I had to guess... I'd have to say at least five hundred years."

Time Link's eyes widened slightly. "It only took Ganondorf about five hundred years to break out of a seal meant to bind him for millennia?!"

"According to the legends, it took even less than five hundred years," answered the Deku Tree, his demeanor quickly changing to worry.

Sail Link gulped. "Ganon is even more powerful than I thought! Did he gain that kind of power during his attempts to escape the prison?"

"He must have," said Time Link grimly. "However, it takes more than power to break through a prison built by the Seven Sages. There must've been another factor..."

_But what? _wondered Time Link. _What did Ganondorf manage to obtain in order to break free?!_

But, like all other questions that the hero had, it would just have to wait till later.

"As we speak, I'm certain that Ganondorf has already found the pearl that lives in this very forest, and is taking precautions to make sure that nobody gets in his way when he comes to collect it," Time Link explained to the Deku Tree.

"I see..." said the Deku Tree, growing a big frown. "So it is true. He has returned... Ganon has returned..."

"I'm afraid so, your grace," said Time Link, trying his hardest to withhold the fury that was swirling inside of him at the shortened name of the evil king he faced so long ago.

"I knew there was a reason the monsters had begun to congregate in the regions around my wood," continued the Deku Tree. "Now I understand why you're here. You have come here because you have need of the pearl of the goddess?" asked the Deku Tree.

"Not I," replied Time Link. "The boy that I have been accompanying has need of the pearl."

"In that case, we must make haste," stated the Deku Tree, tilting its head towards the roof of the haven.

"Koroks! Little children of the woods!" shouted the Deku Tree, his voice making the leaves shake and the ground rumble. "These travelers are not your enemies. Let your hearts be at ease, and show yourselves!"

Looking upwards, above the face of the Deku Tree, Sail Link and Time Link stared in awe as tiny little wooden critters popped up amongst the Tree's sturdy branches, very intrigued by the two new creatures that had found their way into their home.

The Koroks were very fragile by appearance; their tiny bodies were made only of wood, and the only kind of protection they had, came in the form of masks made out of tiny leaves. The Koroks looked in no way threatening, and Time Link worried that Ganondorf's monsters would mistake the critters for _snacks_.

After a little observation from the Koroks, they gleefully leapt off of the Deku Tree and soared high into the air. Gazing further up, all the way up to the only patch of visible sky in the haven, the Koroks could be seen twirling back down to the ground, spinning leaves to stay afloat. What was a remarkable display became magnificent, due to the fact that the Koroks had managed to arrange a formation, resembling a circle, in the air. Sail Link applauded at the little display, while an impressed Time Link simply smiled.

"What do you call yourselves?" asked a random Korok from the group, as they continued to float back down to the ground.

"I am Sail Link! This is Time Link!" Sail Link abruptly answered, startling Time Link when the islander roughly wrapped his arm around the hero in a friendly manner.

"Sail Link and Time Link?" asked a different Korok from the same group. "We like those names! We like them a lot!"

The Deku Tree laughed full heartedly, making the forest rumble with him. "Sail Link, Time Link, may I introduce thee to the spirits of the forest, the Koroks!"

At this moment, the Koroks landed in front of the duo, spun in place, raised their tiny arms in the air, and screamed, "Tadaaaa!"

This time, Time Link applauded along with Sail Link at the display. It was truly remarkable for these critters to perform like this towards complete strangers, after only mere seconds of having the strangers be deemed safe by their guardian.

Time Link stumbled backwards as a random Korok leapt into his arms, cutely clinging onto his cheek in an attempt to hug him. Looking to the side, Time Link witnessed Sail Link get pounced on by all the other Koroks, their jittery bodies unmeaningly tickling the poor child. Sail Link didn't seem to mind though.

"The Deku Tree has told us stories about you!" said the Korok excitingly to Time Link. "He has! He has!"

"Really?" asked Time Link, embarrassed yet honored. "Like what?"

"Like how you used to live in the forest when us Koroks looked like humans!" chirped the Korok.

Time Link's smile vanished in an instant, looking up to the Deku Tree to notice a somber expression that had overcame its features.

"You mean to tell me," said Time Link, dangerously quiet. "That you little wooden critters are... the fate of the Kokiri when they leave the forest?"

"Yes! Yes!" cheered the Korok, unaware of the negative emotions coming from the hero. "The Tree knows all about it!"

The Korok struggled to climb onto the top of Time Link's head, and cleared its throat to express a pretty squeaky impression of the Great Deku Tree.

"Once upon a time, long ago," announced the Korok, "the Koroks took on human forms, known as the Kokiri! But when they came to live on the sea, they took on the shapes that you now see today!"

The Korok then leapt off of Time Link's head and spiraled back into his arms, gleefully shouting, "The end!"

Time Link made sure to hide his scowl from the adorable Kurok as he set it back down to the ground. The more he learned about the Great Sea, the less he liked it.

* * *

"So you're scared of people? People like me?" asked Sail Link, sitting down crisscrossed and surrounded by Kuroks.

"Yes, we are. We are," moped a random Kurok. "But to Great Deku Tree, we Koroks will always be his children! Cherished little children!"

Sail Link joyfully laughed. "Well I'm glad that he takes care of you all! So what else do you guys do in the forest haven?"

"Ceremonies!" shouted all the Kuroks in unison, spooking Sail Link out of his crisscross sitting position, and into a sprawling heap among the grass. The Kuroks all laughed at the sudden display.

"The Kuroks are correct," remarked the Deku Tree. "We have many ceremonies in the forest haven. As it happens, you two have come just in time for a very special ceremony, one that the Koroks hold but once every year. It is about to begin."

"Begin! Begin!" cheered the Koroks.

"I shall grant the pearl to you once their ceremony is complete," explained the Deku Tree. "I must apologize for the brief delay, but if the ceremony is not completed soon, an ill fate could befall us."

"Your decisions are anything but careless, your grace," answered Time Link. "I am certain that your wishes will not bring harm to us. I humbly ask you to proceed."

The Deku Tree let out its biggest laugh yet, making the trees sway from the joyous chuckles. "Then, let it begin! Are you ready, my children?"

"We are! We are!" chanted the Kuroks in excitement, before a sudden cry of "We are not!" reached the ears of the boys and the Deku Tree.

A lone Kurok fluttered from the top of the Deku Tree, all the way down to the grass. The Kurok's jitteriness displayed worry all over its figure. The Deku Tree gave the Kurok a cross look, which only made the Kurok become even more jumpy.

"Linder, my child, What is the meaning of this?" calmly asked the Deku Tree, with a stern face. "'Not ready?' Please explain yourself."

"Something terrible has happened! It is Makar! Makar!" shrieked the jumpy Linder.

The rest of the Kuroks moaned in frustration. "Linder always late! Makar always late!"

"Now now, children," shushed the Deku Tree, "That is no need to give the young child any grief. Let us hear Linder out."

Turning back to the worried Kurok, the Deku Tree stated, "Now then, you and Makar are always late, that much is undeniable. But I have never seen thee so uptight about it. What is the matter, Linder?"

"O Great Deku Tree!" quickly shouted Linder. "Makar not late! Makar not early! Makar not HERE!"

"Not here?!" exclaimed the Deku Tree, as the Kuroks and the boys gasped at the sudden news.

"Please, explain thyself immediately. Why do you say Makar is not here?" said the Deku Tree, remaining calm. Surely Makar could be found easily.

"Makar... fell into the Forbidden Woods!" cried out Linder.

"WHAT?!" bellowed the Deku Tree, making the Kuroks cower in fright. "The Forbidden Woods?!"

The poor Linder was very close to crying at that point. "I told him to be careful! Careful! But still Makar flew above the Forbidden Woods, and as he drew close to it..."

"Oh, foolish little Makar..." muttered the Deku Tree, grimly.

"We can find him!" Sail Link suddenly exclaimed. "We can get Makar back from the Forbidden Woods!"

Time Link wasn't as quick to jump into danger, though. "Don't be ridiculous!" he shouted. "We know nothing about the place, nor what materials we will need to survive!"

The Deku Tree looked back at the boys. "So, you two heard all this?"

"Yes, your grace," responded Sail Link, finally getting used to the high regard that the Deku Tree had rightfully earned. But that wasn't enough to remove Time Link's newly formed frown.

"The Forbidden Woods are right beside the hallowed island of our forest haven," informed the Deku Tree. "Those woods... The whole region is a vile place that is home to evil beasts."

"And now it seems they have taken a child of the forest named Makar," continued the Deku Tree, quietly adding, "...Your presence here is no mistake, I deem."

Time Link was about to nod, when a gut wrenching thought entered his head.

If the forest haven was the remains of the Kokiri Forest, then that means the Forbidden Woods must be...

_Oh dear Goddesses no,_ cried Time Link's mind.

"We can't," stated Time Link. "We can't go into the Forbidden Woods."

Sail Link was appalled. "How can you say that?!" he asked, horribly confused.

"I mean what I say, Sail Link," replied Time Link, gravely.

The Hero of Time walked up to the Deku Tree, the latter just as surprised by the boy's statement as Sail Link was.

"Your grace, I beg of you; tell me I'm wrong," pleaded Time Link to the guardian of the forest. "Tell me that the Forbidden Woods are not the remains of the inescapable _Lost Woods!_"

The Deku Tree was rendered silent, along with Sail Link and all the other Kuroks. After what felt like an eternity, the forest guardian sighed deeply, and shook its head.

"Alas, my child, I'm afraid I cannot. For what you say is true."

Time Link shouted in frustration, kicking a lone stick, scaring all the Koroks. They scurried this way and that, before they all hid behind Sail Link. Time Link was quite distressed, and everyone would soon know why.

"I'm going to assume that none of you have ever heard stories about the Lost Woods," Time Link said, directing it at the quivering Koroks. They feebly nodded their heads to the hero, not even daring to step out of their hiding spot.

"Well I'll tell you why," continued Time Link, straight to the point. "It's because 'Lost' sounds a whole lot less deadly than 'Forbidden.'"

The Kuroks shivered, and Sail Link was beginning to dislike the hero's attitude.

"Stop it!" shouted Sail Link. "You're scaring them!"

"They should be scared!" retorted Time Link. "Everyone should be scared of the Lost Woods!

"Long ago, when Koroks took on the forms of children and named themselves 'Kokiri,'" began Time Link, "There was a dark secluded area, hidden in the most deserted corner of the entire village. The Kokiri nicknamed it 'The Lost Woods.'

"Kokiri were unaware of the dangers of the Lost Woods, because they were spirits of the forests and the woods. The Lost Woods, almost seeming to have a mind of its own, respected this about the Kokiri. As an effect, the Lost Woods left the Kokiri unharmed.

"But then, other beings began to enter the Lost Woods. Humans. Non-Kokiri. And then the sick, twisted magic of the Lost Woods was fully revealed. Adult men lost their way and became Stalfos. Fearsome, bloodthirsty skeletons that roamed the woods with the desire to kill. Helpless children who couldn't escape became Skull Children. Little, mysterious ghouls that lured you into security with their flute, only to play pranks and keep you lost in the Lost Woods. Never to escape! Never to see the sky! Never to reunite with the ones you love-"

"LINK!" barked the Deku Tree, silencing the boy immediately as the trees shook. "That is quite enough, my child."

Sail Link stared at the unsettled hero, astounded by the fear the child had recently expressed. Sail Link was rapidly gaining solid proof to believe that the Hero of Time wasn't as young as he looked. But what on earth happened? And what if the same happened to him?

The islander quickly shook his head. That had nothing to do with the goals he was striving for. He had the goal to save his sister. He had the goal to stop Ganon's sinister plans. He had the goal to bring happiness to the eyes of the Hero of Time.

But where Sail Link had goals, Time Link had experience.

Time Link sighed, and looked directly at Sail Link. The young boy was looking at all the other Kuroks, with a somewhat sad expression on his face. When he looked back at the hero, his face was bursting with determination. Time Link shook his head. The boy was brave, yes, but he seemed to be blissfully unaware of the damage that could be inflicted from the Lost Woods' dark secrets.

"I'm sorry," explained Time Link to Sail Link, "but if the Lost Woods remain harmless to only the Kokiri, and nobody else, I'm afraid that they will not recognize a Korok, like Makar, as a Kokiri. I don't think you and I are going to be able to save Makar. He's as good as dead at this point."

He slowly turned back to the Deku Tree. "I'm terribly sorry, your grace, but I'm afraid I have to say n-"

"We have to save him," interrupted Sail Link, completely set on his course of action.

"What?!" shouted Time Link, darting back to Sail Link, as his eyebrows rose with utter shock. "Sail Link, think about what you're saying! The Forbidden Woods are the remains of the cursed Lost Woods! You're putting yourself in great danger! You have only a slim chance of survival!"

Sail Link's eyebrows lowered. "So what?! Makar's chances of survival are much slimmer than ours, especially if we don't do anything to save him!"

Time Link stepped back, dumbfounded. "I can't believe how quick you are to just leap into danger without a second thought! That's not brave! That's-"

"Stupid?!" interrupted Sail Link. "You're wrong! The King of Red Lions wouldn't have sent you, or me, into the forest haven if he didn't think we could handle ourselves in these kinds of situations!" continued Sail Link, beginning to gain support from the Kuroks. "He knows that the Hero of Time is more than capable of taking on the dangers of any place that stands in his way, and I believe he sees the same in me as well!"

Time Link was slightly taken aback, but he certainly couldn't argue. The boy was right. Makar was a Korok, a fragile wooden spirit. He wouldn't last a day in something as horrid as the Lost Woods. But the hero had managed to come out alive after braving the corridors of the Lost Woods. Twice.

"And if that's the case," shouted Sail Link, "I think jumping into danger, head on, would be the least stupid thing to do! If I'm trusted, and I'm needed, then I say, 'BRING IT!'"

Now the Kuroks were cheering loudly, and Time Link looked up to see a smile of acceptance coming from the Deku Tree. He looked back to Sail Link, the youthful fire still burning in the child's eyes, despite the marks of a warrior shining as well.

Time Link closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and readied his sword. "If that's your resolve, I shall gladly accompany you into the Forbidden Woods. We are going to save Makar."

The Kuroks roared with applause, chanting the names of the two young boys as they nodded and firmly shook hands.

* * *

"But, Great Deku Tree!" squeaked Linder, shortly after the boys' acceptance to brave the remains of the Lost Woods. "People cannot fly through the air... Oh no they cannot..."

"Ah, yes..." agreed the Deku Tree. "Thank you, child. You are right. It is not possible to enter those woods from the sea, is it..."

Time Link had been doing his hardest to prepare Sail Link for the Lost Woods, but Sail Link could only be intrigued by the danger instead of being wary of it.

"Time Link, Sail Link," called the Deku Tree, getting their attention.

"Yes, your grace?" replied the boys.

"I would guess from your size that you two are heavier than my Korok children..." pondered the Deku Tree. "Yet I think we may still be able to solve this dilemma."

"You must use the item I shall bestow upon you and fly through the sky!"

The Deku Tree suddenly scrunched up in fierce concentration before emitting a strained roar. Suddenly, two huge leaves popped out of a single branch, and floated down into the hands of Sail Link and Time Link.

"Thank you, your grace," replied the boys respectfully.

"May you use them well," said the Great Deku Tree.

It took a couple times to master the new Deku Leaves, but before long, Sail Link and Time Link were gliding through the forest haven without any problems at all. All of the Kuroks were very impressed.

"This is the exit that leads to the Forbidden Woods, where our brother Makar is being held!" said a lone Kurok as the duo approached the glowing opening to the outside of the haven. "Please take care of Makar! Good care!"

"Don't worry!" said Sail Link bravely. "We'll save him!"

"Yes, we will do our best," added Time Link, still uneasy about trespassing the grounds of the Lost Woods again.

The duo soon after, walked right out of the haven, with the Forbidden Woods only yards away.

* * *

"It looks like we'll need the wind to guide our Deku Leaves!" Time Link called out, over the gusting wind.

"You got it!" shouted Sail Link, conducting the Wind's Requiem to blow southwest, towards the foreboding Forbidden Woods.

Coursing the Deku Leaves towards the Woods proved to be tough, as new monsters got in their way. Time Link couldn't use the Lens of Truth at the moment, so Sail Link referred to the creatures as "Orange Spinners!"

Thankfully, Sail Link and Time Link managed to clear past the Orange Spinners and land on the mossy ground of the Forbidden Woods.

The boys stared at the gigantic opening to the Forbidden Woods, the mere entrance being antagonizing enough to send any other human packing.

Time Link turned his head to Sail Link, completely serious.

"Stay close. If you get lost, you may never be found again," warned Time Link.

"Yes, sir," whispered Sail Link.

"Okay then," replied Time Link. "Draw your sword,"

_Shwing!_

"And follow my lead," finished Time Link, entering the mouth of the cursed woods.

Sail Link drew his sword, and readied himself to enter the woods-

_"Hee hee hee~"_

Sail Link darted around wildly, searching for the source of the sudden noise.

"Who was that?!" shouted Sail Link, in his poor attempt to sound as threatening as Time Link. "Show yourself!"

There was absolute silence...

...

...

"Huh," stated Sail Link, before entering the Forbidden Woods.

**AN: Annnnnnnd done! Phew, sorry for the wait everybody! More coming soon! I promise!**


End file.
